Intrepidity
by Chelsea Di Marco Macbeth
Summary: With the rise of Hydra once again, the Avengers know that they have to be fearless and dauntless beyond the call of duty. And fortunately for them, they won't have to face the threat alone. (includes all avengers characters)
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

Her legs burn but she never falters in her sprint.

She hears footsteps behind her but it only spurs her to push on even faster. And fortunately, a turn into an alley comes into view and it is like an oasis in a desert. Her senses kick in and the familiarity of the alleyway gives her the extra edge to disappear from view because unlike the men in suits chasing her, she has an advantage. She is special.

The girl watches as the men appear beneath her and could not help the quick upturn of her lips at their confused state. The men were panting very heavily and they spared no mercy on anything that stood in their way in the dead end of the alley, eliminating everything in their path with their guns, thinking that it will draw her out.

When they hear no sign of life, the men cursed under their breath as they are struck with a sense of déjà vu. She had evaded them once again.

"We lost her, sir," said the leader of the four men in suits into the communication mic he had on, obviously displeased.

She can't hear what the person on the other line is exactly saying but she can tell by the loud echo of the voice that the person was furious. She smirks before her gaze switches to the device she is holding in her hands now, pleased with her successful raid. _Suckers, _she thought to herself before standing up on the rooftop of the building and jumping off the opposite edge, not waiting to see the next move of the men.

All the girl can think about is the fact that she is better armed now. She can protect them, and that is all she cares about.

* * *

Steve is out for his usual morning run at 5.30 am in Central Park when he stumbles across a situation. At first, nothing seems amiss. But then as he is jogging along his normal route, his eyes spot two children from his peripheral vision. He paused midway to assess the situation and his eyes scanned the vast surroundings for any signs of the children's parents.

When he was faced with nothing but greenery and animals, Steve was greatly alarmed. However, he walked slowly towards the two children so as not to scare them. One was a boy while the other was a girl and from the looks of it, they seemed to be no more than 10 years old – and even so, they were tiny for their age.

He squatted down to their level to ease their sense of comfort before he spoke, "Hello, I'm Steve. May I ask what your names are?"

The girl had light blonde hair and brown eyes whilst the boy had black hair and blue eyes. They showed no fear when the giant man approached them but only watched him with wise wary eyes beyond their years. It was a lapsed moment of silence before the girl spoke first, her childlike voice melodic. "Hello, Steve. I am Nazli and this is my brother Malik. Can we help you?"

Steve watched the boy – Malik, clutch his sister's hand tightly, giving her a look to which she returned one of her own. They are obviously very close to each other and it seems like they are having a silent conversation, puzzling Steve even more.

"Hello Nazli, Malik," greeted Steve in the calmest and warmest voice he could muster. "Where are your parents? Are they around somewhere?"

Malik turns and glares daggers at Steve, surprising him. Nazli is the voice of reason and she merely squeezes her brother's hand tightly before speaking on behalf of the two of them with a sense of maturity beyond her age. "You do not have to worry, Steve. We are neither lost nor abandoned. Rather, we are waiting for someone."

Her accent is different, and so are their names. German, perhaps? He is unsure.

Concerned, Steve persists, "Who are you waiting for, little one?"

Nazli is about to reply when Steve catches wind of a voice and a figure approaching in the distance. He turns in that direction and squints his eyes. Steve realises that it is a girl who is approaching and as soon as she is near enough, he is taken aback by her attractiveness.

The first thing he notices about her is her flaming red hair which curls to the middle of her back and the black iris of her eyes which is a stark contrast to her pale skin. Protectiveness swells within him, and Steve stands up to shelter the two children just in case the alluring girl is a threat.

"Nazli, Malik!" she calls out.

A sigh of relief escapes Steve's lips when he realises that the two children do in fact know her as they run towards the girl immediately, embracing her at her sides. Because of their small statures, a small smile curls at the corners of his lips as he thinks of how adorable the two children look hugging the girl by her legs. She is at least a head shorter than him but next to the children, she is a giant.

"Ma'am," addressed Steve as he walks in front of the girl with a kind smile.

Finally noticing Steve's presence, she turns to look at him before lifting an eyebrow.

"And who might this be?" she asks Nazli and Malik. Unlike the children, her accent is distinctly American.

"That's Steve. He thought we were lost and tried to help us when you came," answered Nazli with a gesture towards Steve.

Steve steps up front and reaches his hand forward, allowing the girl to take it. Shaking firmly, he introduces himself. "Steve Rogers, ma'am."

The girl beams at him widely but Steve notices a hint of caution and perhaps – fear, hidden behind her pleasant smile as well. Despite so, he does not question her.

"Hey, I'm Emma," says the girl – Emma, with a smile and Steve couldn't help but notice the dimples that formed at each side of her cheeks as a result. "Thanks for helping these two out, it was really sweet of you. I hope they haven't caused you any problems though."

"Just doing my job as every citizen should, Ma'am," replies Steve before he shakes his head in response to her second sentence. "Not at all, they've been very pleasant. You've definitely done a wonderful job in raising your children," he says good naturedly.

Nazli beams up at him while Malik's scowl deepens.

"Oh no, they're not my kids. Jeez, do I look that old to you?" joked Emma with in mock anger. Then, she smiles down at them. "The twins are my siblings. And you don't have to lie for Malik. I think it's pretty obvious that he isn't the most pleasant of people. Don't mind him, he isn't usually this way."

"It's alright, they're kids after all," replies Steve, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. He has not had the best experience with girls and this situation was no different. Especially since Emma is a rather beautiful dame.

Emma nods but otherwise, has run of words to say. Instead, she grabs hold of Malik's and Nazli's tiny hands in each of her own and says, "Well, thanks for everything but we should get going. I have to get them fed, otherwise my parents would kill me. It was nice meeting you though."

"Mcdonald's!" cheers Malik happily as his face lit up. It is the most he has said since Steve's arrival and it was about food. Steve was in disbelief but he let out a chuckle nonetheless.

"Sure, it was nice meeting you, Emma," says Steve to Emma before he leans down towards Nazli and Malik. "You too, Nazli, Malik," added Steve as he engulfed Nazli's offered tiny hand in his own in a handshake while Malik only rolls his eyes and pouts at his sister.

"See ya again, Steve!" calls out Nazli chirpily as her form retreats along with Emma and Malik's. Steve grins and waves back, his sentiments exactly.

Unfortunately, he never meets the trio again for the next few weeks whenever he goes on his daily runs. And slowly, thoughts of them are pushed to the back of his mind as missions from S.H.I.E.L.D take prevalence over anything else.

* * *

Tony Stark is in his workshop working on modifications to his Ferrari when the alarm sounds. Immediately, he knows who the intruder is as security breach can only ever be caused by a certain annoying organisation.

Sliding out from under his car, he asks Jarvis for live video feed on the security breech and is met with more than he expected. Pacing around in his living room are not only Natasha Romanov, Clint Barton and Fury, but also Steve, Bruce and even Thor.

Now, his interest was piqued. What was so important that all of the avengers were gathered in his living room?

Tony whistles a tune as he calmly makes his way downstairs. Upon entering the room, he does not hold back a sarcastic remark. "Are you guys having a party in my house? And you didn't invite _moi?_"

Fury rolls his eyes in exasperation. "Cut the crap, Stark. This is serious."

"Excuse me, eye patch? But whose tower are you in? That's right, those big letters outside say Avenger's. Not Nicholas J Fury, not S.H.I.E.L.D," replies Tony childishly.

Natasha sees the steam practically coming out of Fury's ears and steps in before the situation escalates. She knows that the new threat which has emerged has taken its toll on the Director and she can tell that he is a bomb waiting to explode. "Stark, Fury's right. This is serious. It involves the reassembling of the avengers again."

Finally realising the severity of the situation, Tony takes a step back and holds his arms out wide. "Lay it on me," he says with eyebrows high in appraisal.

"It's HYDRA," speaks up Steve.

"Those batshit crazy Nazis? Didn't you get rid of them back in the forties, Capsicle?" asked Tony with incredulous eyes.

"Technically, he did," answers Fury. "But with the fall of one leader, comes the rise of another. As their name suggests, you cut off one head, two more grow back. Their work has been succeeded by other franchise groups over the past few decades but S.H.I.E.L.D has always managed to put a stop to their plans before they even hatched. Or so we thought."

"Franchise groups? What, you mean like terrorist groups who are linked to Hydra but really not under them?"

Fury nods in affirmation.

"What do you mean?" asks Bruce, who has been listening intently the entire time.

Fury takes out a device from his pocket and when he presses a button on it, a holographic projection of a symbol appears. It is of three skulls encased by a flame, similar to the Hydra Logo but distinct all the same.

"This symbol represents the Hydra Flame division – A franchise division of Hydra which specialises in creating mass weapons of destruction. At first, they worked on alien technology. But it has come to our recent attention that their focus has changed."

"Let me guess, humans?" said Tony, dryly.

"It's Hydra, I wouldn't put it past them, sick son of bitches," cursed Clint with his arms folded.

Fury let out a wry smile, "You're partly right, Stark. However, their focus isn't on humans but rather, mutants. Or anyone with supernatural abilities."

He presses another button to change the image projected. This time, the hologram shows a collage of faces. At first, nothing seems out of the ordinary. But then Steve's gaze zooms in on the facial features of the faces.

He is startled but infuriated. They were all children.

His fists clenched and he gritted his teeth.

"For the past decade or so, the Hydra Flame division has been abducting superhuman children worldwide and experimenting on them. Locking them up in secret facilities in god knows where and enhancing their abilities and turning them into live weapons of destruction," explained Fury.

"They're building an army!" exclaimed Thor loudly, horrified.

"S.H.I.E.L.D suspects so," acquiesced Fury as he clicks on the next image, leaning again the sofa. "However, we have no conclusive proof. What we do know for sure is the fact that they are ready to strike at any moment. And we have to take them down before they jeopardize the lives of anymore children."

"Any how do we do that?" asks Tony. "You just said S.H.I.E.L.D doesn't know where their little hideouts are."

"We don't," agrees Fury. Then he reaches into his briefcase to pull out a thick stack of papers. He walks over to each Avenger and hands them a copy of it. "But there have been children who escaped Hydra before. If we find them, we'll know where Hydra is."

"These children ran away for a reason, Nick. What makes you think they'll willingly bring us to where Hydra is if it means going back to those monsters," asks Steve as he thumbs through the stack of papers in his hands. He sees different faces on each page but nothing stands out in particular.

"Because you'll be the ones asking," states Fury simply. "If you all could kindly flip to page 17, this girl is our ticket into Hydra. Sources say she, along with two unknown others, escaped Hydra facilities 4 years ago. If we can get them to help us, they'll be valuable assets to S.H.I.E.L.D."

"What's so special about them?" asks Bruce as he reads the girl's biography.

"What's special about them is the fact that they got out solo style, no back up whatsoever. They must pack one hell of a punch to take down a highly guarded facility. Also, no one has ever managed to get out since them," answers Fury.

They lapse into silence for a moment as only the sound of paper crisping can be heard.

Steve is the last to flip to the page but when he does, his heart stops.

Not called Hawkeye for nothing, Clint is the first to notice Steve's pale face and he asks, "You alright there, Cap?"

"I know her," murmurs Steve as he moves his fingers over the image of their prime target. There was no mistaking those vivid black irises and striking red hair. It was Emma.

Fury's ears perk up and he demands, "What do you mean, Captain? Explain yourself, soldier."

"I met her a few months back," answers Steve, his face ashen. " – when I was out for a run."

"And?"

"I don't think her two companions will be able to help us," murmurs Steve as his mind wanders back to thoughts of the twins – Nazli and Malik. They are most likely not even over 10 years old.

"Why's that?" demands Fury, impatient.

This time, Steve closes his eyes in resignation and murmurs, "Because they're her younger siblings."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Nazli and Malik peak at the bakery from behind the bushes. Their mouths water at the sight of the pastries put up on display but they try to reign in their hunger for a few more measly minutes.

It is merely 7am in the morning but this is in fact, New York City – the city that never sleeps. So, the twins wait eagerly across the street for the sign on the doors to change.

When the 'closed' sign is turned over to 'open' by the bakery's employees, two Cheshire grins make its way onto the twins faces. They join their hands together and in a flash, the place where they once stood is now empty.

They speed into the store hand in hand, fill a tray up with food before they exit and reappear in an alley a few blocks away. Malik glances across the street at the Swatch shop and smirks, gesturing towards the huge clock on display. Two minutes flat. That was approximately how fast their raid was.

Nazli sees it and pats her twin's hand in encouragement, happy about the supply they now have. It will last them for at least a week but she knows that Emma will be the exact opposite of pleased - especially since she is probably worried sick from them sneaking out early this morning.

It is time to face the music.

Sighing, Nazli holds out her hand to which Malik takes. They both clutch a basket of food in each of their free hands, ready to return to the warehouse they lived in.

Nodding and maintaining eye contact, they whisk off into the dark. The only sign that they were ever there is the light dust left behind from their run. They are like ghosts.

Unfortunately, they did not know that S.H.I.E.L.D has eyes everywhere.

A man inside his car has been watching the twin's every move since public security cameras caught them on surveillance an hour ago. When they disappear from sight, he dials a number on his phone as he steps on the gas pedal.

"Director Fury speaking," mutters a gruff voice – Fury.

"Target locked, sir," says the man as his eyes glance at the blinking dots – representing the twins' movement on the screen in his car. "We are now in pursuit."

A few cars follow suit as the man drives on for a while, following the directions the tracking device shows him. When they near a deserted warehouse, the man hesitates. "Should we engage them, sir?"

It is silence for a while. Then Fury speaks, "No. Stay out of sight but monitor their movements."

The man barks out Fury's orders to the rest of the men in cars behind him through his communicator and instantly, all the cars turn invisible thanks to the cloaking device installed. "All done, sir."

"Alert me if they make a move," says Fury as he picks up another phone.

"Yes, sir. Are you calling the avengers now?" asks the man with a wry smile, fond memories flooding his mind. However he does not get a reply and starts to think that the line is dead. He almost hangs up when Fury's voice echoes over the phone once again.

"Already done. They are on their way," affirms Fury before he chuckles. "And I imagine them to be in for a big surprise when they see you later on."

"Let's hope they don't get too upset with you, sir."

"I wouldn't place any bets on that. But Coulson?"

"Yes,sir?"

"You might want to brace yourself for their interrogation."

* * *

Emma has been worried sick for the past two hours and almost faints in relief when she sees two tiny figures run in. Concern takes prevalence over anger and she rushes over to embrace them tightly.

"Thank god," murmurs Emma as she begins to pull away from them. Her eyes glance towards their hands and she sees the bags of pastries they have.

"Guys," chides Emma, her heart still racing. "What did I tell you about stealing?"

The twins bow their heads sheepishly.

"We were hungry," mutters Malik as he averts his eyes from her gaze whilst Nazli pleads, "Please don't be angry."

Emma's eyes soften as she squats down to their level. "I'm not mad, guys. I was worried sick but I'm glad you're alright. Do you know how bad it would've been if Hydra caught you guys again?"

"We're sorry," they say in unison.

"Don't be," assures Emma as she takes the bags from them to put on the worn out wooden table. "But next time, I'm coming with you. I can't ever forgive myself for letting anything happen to you two. You guys are everything to me."

Nazli and Malik reach forward to hug Emma tightly.

"Love you, Em," mumbles Malik against her whilst his sister simply nods in agreement.

It is silence for a while before they pull apart and start to dig in to some of the pastries they stole. Nazli and Malik munch happily on a couple of French Magdalenes whilst Emma is content with watching them eat. Her gaze is affectionate – like a lioness to her cubs. However, her mind is still running at a hundred miles per hour. She is worried that Hydra might be on their trail again.

It is the reason why they never stay in one place for too long. It is too risky. Especially since the twins went out unaccompanied this morning, Emma is concerned that they might have been spotted.

She sighs and thinks to herself; perhaps it is time to move again. But then she wonders, where can they go? Should they leave the country?

She does not have time to ponder as her ears pick up on movement outside. Immediately, she is on high alert – afraid that Hydra might've have found them. Standing up quietly, she gets the attention of the twins.

Nazli and Malik take note of Emma's wary expression and they recognise it. Being prepared for such situations, they join hands and make full use of their super speed together to clean up the place so that it seems deserted and empty.

On the other hand, Emma closes her eyes in concentration and moves her hand over towards the door to reinforce it with her gift and buy them some time. When that is done, she takes the twins by their hands and hides them behind a part of the room that is camouflaged unless someone looks closely and then she makes a barrier to mask their presence as well to protect them in case a shootout occurs.

Flying to the top of the ceiling and situating herself on a wooden plank, Emma waits quietly. She holds her breath in anticipation, her heart pounding furiously against her chest.

The door to the warehouse flies off its hinges and Emma winces but otherwise, does not make a sound. Her posture stiffens as she watches five people enter – a blonde man with a cape, a man dressed in a suit, a man with a bow, a redheaded woman and least but not least, someone she recognises. It is Captain America.

She almost sighs in relief that it is not Hydra but then again, she wonders what S.H.I.E.L.D could want with them.

"It is empty," comments Thor as his eyes sweep over the place.

Tony rolls his eyes but lifts a device to scan the room for forms of life. "No shit, Godilocks but they're probably just hiding."

"This seems an awful lot like a trap," says Clint as he walks over to feel the top of the wooden table. It's a good thing Bruce isn't here, he'd probably feel claustrophobic."

"They're trained kid soldiers, I wouldn't expect anything less," replies Natasha as she walks towards the end of the warehouse where Nazli and Malik are hidden. She scrutinises every part of the wall and is almost reaching where the hidden part is. The twins are scared but they hold each other tightly and close their eyes, not breathing a word.

Steve sighs and begins searching as well, "They might be trained by Hydra but they don't work for them. If anything, I think they just want to have a normal life."

The silence is suddenly penetrated by a loud beeping noise, capturing everyone's attention, startling them. Defensive stances take root instantly but then their eyes glance over to the source and they glare in unison. "Stark!"

"Sorry folks, that's just my heat detector," says Tony unapologetically with his forehead creased. "I was scanning for traces of body heat but besides the five of us, it came out negative. Looks like blondie's right, those kids are probably long gone by now."

Natasha's eyes narrow, "That can't be right. Coulson's tracking device states that the twins and the girl are still here."

"What does Coulson know? He just came back from the dead for god's sake – which I'm still angry about by the way," refutes Tony with a raise of his eyebrows. "Eye patch has been lying to us the whole time, how do we know he isn't lying about these kids either?"

"Because I've met them," insists Steve as he steps up to place a hand on Tony's shoulder, trying to calm him down. "But I think you might behave a point there, it doesn't seem like anyone has been here in a long time though."

Thor and Clint nod their heads in agreement but Natasha is still unconvinced. Her eyes return to the spot she has been looking at and she sees a slight movement in her peripheral vision.

Emma curses under her breath from where she is watching as she can tell that the barrier she placed on Nazli and Malik is flickering because of interference with her powers. But she is unsure what the cause is. No matter how hard she tries to maintain the force field, it doesn't hold.

"What is the matter, agent Romanov?" asks Thor as he walks up behind her with his hammer in his hand. A quiet gasp escapes Emma as she realises Thor's hammer is the cause of interference,

Now, all the interests of the Avengers are piqued and they gather around the wall where there is a faint flickering movement.

The barrier supposedly guarding Nazli and Malik is fading as it wavers on and off – revealing a blur vision of their form which is still unrecognizable to the Avengers. They are absolutely terrified but they look at each other with one thought on their minds in agreement.

Without waiting for the barrier to fully disintegrate, the twins take off in a sprint up the roof. The fast motion generates a slight sandstorm which startles the Avengers but Hawkeye does not miss a beat. Even though he was unable to see who it was, his eyes can tell that they went up.

Whilst everyone is still disorientated with the dust receding around them, Clint glances up at the ceiling. And sure enough, he spots three silhouettes.

Right away, he takes his bow and arrows and takes aim.

"Up there! Near the ceiling!" yells Clint as he fires a shot.

Steve's eyes follow suit and his heart drops, it is Emma, Nazli and Malik. "Are you nuts? Fury said to bring them in alive, not dead or injured!"

"Relax, Cap. It's a tranquiliser," says Clint calmly as he fires shot after shot with accurate precision.

The five of them watch as the arrows fly towards the three of them, about to hit their target. Steve is horrified – they are just children.

Luckily, Emma's sharp reflexes rival that the assassin's as even with her back turned, she senses the impending danger heading towards them. Calmly, she raises her hand and clenches her fist effortlessly, making the arrows disintegrate into dust.

"We have to get out of here, Em!" shouts Nazli, frightened but trying to put on a brave front. Malik is cowering into her side but she acts the part of an older sister and holds him. She is his rock.

"I know, I'm working on it," mutters Emma as she digs into her backpack for the device she stole a while ago. When she finds it, she drops it towards where the Avengers are standing below, activating it. Instantly, everyone in the room is suspended mid-air.

The Avengers are startled but nonetheless, they struggle valiantly to move and get to the three of them but their efforts are futile. Tony only watches with dark eyes as the redheaded girl closes her eyes in concentration and lands on the ground with her siblings.

_Gravity manipulation!_ Perhaps that was her gift! Tony thought as he eyes zoom in on the device she'd thrown at them. He is impressed but nonetheless, annoyed. He aims his repulsor at the device but watches as the energy beam disintegrates once more with the wave of Emma's hand.

Seizing the opportunity, Emma does not waste any time as she grips the twins tightly and flies, bolting straight for the door. However, once they are outside, the three of them are met with a squadron of armed S.H.I.E.L.D agents who take notice of them immediately.

Shots fly out everywhere but Emma dodges every single one.

"Fuck," she curses as she attempts to fly as high and as far as possible away from them as best she could but they are relentless. Some shots almost hit her but she manages to disintegrate them at the last split second.

"Faster, Em! We are losing them!" encourages Nazli as she watches the S.H.I.E.L.D agents on the ground run after them but are losing speed against Emma's fast pace.

She tries to fly faster but everything is beginning to take its toll on her as she feels her energy draining.

"Have we lost them yet?" yells Emma as she flies into the forest, whipping past trees and tall greenery.

"I don't see them anymore! I think you lost them, Em!"

Not faltering, Emma flies for a while more before she brings them into a cave she spots nearby. Releasing the twins gently, Emma then slumps down against the wall of the cave and onto the ground with a 'thud', thoroughly exhausted.

"We did it! Yay Emmy!" cheers Malik as he grins for the first time, his blue eyes shining.

She manages a tired smile but otherwise, does not reply.

"What do those guys want with us? They're not Hydra," wonders Nazli in a childlike voice.

Emma is just about to reply when another voice echoes throughout the cave.

"Actually, we just want to talk."

Her eyes shoot open and she freezes. She glances at the entrance of the cave and sees a figure standing there.

It is Steve but he is wearing a strange costume. Then, Emma's eyes widen even more when she realises that he is in fact, Captain America.

"How did you find us?" murmurs Emma quietly as the twin's peak up from behind her body.

Another figure walks in and this time, it is Tony Stark. He walks up to Nazli and Malik to pull something off of their clothes. They want to hit him but they are too frightened to react.

"Next time, learn to remove all tracking devices first before you run," suggests Tony with a smirk as he rolls two tracking chips between his fingers, walking back to stand next to Steve.

Emma groans but begins to plot their escape again. Her eyes dart back and forth and Tony takes note of that immediately. He recognises that look on her face as he recalls his time in Afghanistan, trying to escape.

"And don't even think about escaping, kiddo. This place is surrounded by armed S.H.I.E.L.D agents who are ready to fire on command. If I were you, I'd listen to what Capsicle has to say over there, we're more peaceful creatures, you could say," states Tony nonchalantly as he gestures to Steve.

"Please," begs Steve as he takes a step forward. "We don't want to hurt you guys but we do need your help."

"What do you want?" asks Emma with wary but tired eyes.

"What do you know about the Hydra Flame division?"

"They're the bad guys," speaks up Malik for the first time with a glare at Steve. Then again, he always looks grumpy. "Like you."

Steve nods. "Yes they are but I assure you, we're not. But you guys already know that first hand, don't you?"

Emma nods and motions for him to continue. "And what's your point?"

"We want to take them down for good," states Steve firmly. "And we could use your help in finding their base."

Emma sighs and walks forward, "What good will that do? We just escaped from one Hydra facility, what makes you think we want to go back? And even if we do bring you back there and you destroy it, there are still hundreds more to go. Hydra never stops. You cut off one head – "

" – two more grows back," finishes Steve for her. "Yes but this is involves Children, Em."

She says nothing so he continues. "Hydra is ruthless in capturing innocent children and turning them into mindless weapons. Help us stop them, please. Work with us to give children like Nazli and Malik normal lives you've all been deprived of."

"I-I don't know," murmurs Emma as her gaze drops to the ground.

Exasperated, Tony steps forward and places one hand on her shoulder. "Look kid, I know what it's like to constantly be on the run. I've been there once. So trust me when I say that S.H.I.E.L.D has the resources to protect you."

"Can you guarantee our safety? If not mine, but theirs at the very least?" questions Emma as she motions towards the Nazli and Malik, her eyebrows raised in challenge.

"As much as I hate eyepatch and his secrecy, I can guarantee that S.H.I.E.L.D protects its assets and they definitely won't let children get hurt," affirms Tony with a gentle smile.

"Please," pleads Steve once more.

Emma contemplates for a few seconds before making up her mind.

"Okay," she relents. Then she adds, "Only if the twins stay out of this."

"You have my word," says Steve firmly.

Resigned, Emma nods and gestures her hand towards the entrance. "Alright, looks like you're giving the orders now, Captain."

She hopes that she made the right choice but only time will tell.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

Emma looks out of the window aboard the private jet and thinks to herself that this is probably the closest that she will ever come to first class. Even before being caught up in Hydra, she got through each day as it came and it was no different after she escaped either. Change has been and still is the only constant in her life but as she glances out of her peripheral vision at the sleeping forms of the twins on their recliner seats, she is pensive.

How she wished that she could dip a limb into a pool of knowledge just to relish in what emotions she should feel because frankly, she is all over the place right now.

Instead, she depicts a façade of composure – an act which is second nature to her.

When she had agreed with Steve – who happened to be Captain freaking America by the way, to help stop Hydra, she had not expected to be met with such _lukewarm _reception from the organisation itself.

It seems that S.H.I.E.L.D spares no expenses both figuratively and literally.

Emma's eyes take in the lavishness of the plane they are in – there is even a built in bar, and it would almost be an enjoyable experience had it not been for the multiple armed gun men surrounding them.

They are donned in bulletproof vests and look as serious as Hitler is when he gives the order to 'purify the race'. Their defensive stances never falter and it is as though they are escorting the Queen of England from the Buckingham Palace rather than three _gifted individuals_. Emma lets out a small wry smile at that thought – she is considerably flattered.

The tension in the room is almost palpable and it makes her yearn desperately to be a child again. To be a child means to be innocent. To be innocent means to be ignorant, to be free. But then again, nothing can eradicate all evils in the world and she is certain that normality was never fated to intertwine with her life.

She feels their eyes staring holes into her back when they think she is not looking and she can't fault them. After all, she is anything but ordinary – an anomaly, a _freak of nature_, even.

Her eyes flicker over to the front.

The Avengers are seated on the sofa opposite her but so far, not a word is breathed to her and she is beginning to think that the whole journey will be one lapsed in uncomfortable silence. Momentary regret rises up within her as she closes her eyes, wishing that she had not taken Hydra's offer in the first place. It had been the game changer - the beginning of the pandemonium in her life.

Unable to stand the lack of conversation, Tony is the first to speak up.

"So foxy," addresses Tony as he clears his throat. "What's your thing?"

Emma's eyes shoot open just as the rest of the Avengers fixate their curious gazes upon her.

"Foxy?" wonders Thor aloud at the name whilst Steve's expression hardens.

"Yeah, little miss ginger over there," clarifies Tony with a point in her direction. "For the wild red hair and dark eyes – it makes her look the part of a mysterious beauty."

Emma narrows her eyes.

"Watch it, Stark," warns Steve as he spots Emma's annoyed expression. He knows first-hand that even the most patient of people can have their fuse's blown just by hearing the words spewing out of Tony's mouth without filter and Steve definitely does not wish for World War III to break out anytime soon.

Tony quirks an eyebrow but does not respond to him. Instead, he leans forward even more towards Emma – well, as far as he can with a coffee table in the way.

"So, what was that display about back there at the warehouse? What's your secret?" asks Tony bluntly, trying a similar approach.

Emma looks him in the eye and replies in a dark tone, "Trust me, you don't want to know."

She enunciates every syllable of every word slowly and clearly, hoping that he drops the topic. However, he doesn't.

Unrelenting, Tony persists, "Well, I do. What makes you tick, Gingy? What's your talent? Your little display back at the warehouse was wicked!"

Emma does not respond and it is the catalyst for Tony's endless theories and insensible self-rambling.

"Gravity manipulation? No, that doesn't explain the disintegration of Legolas' arrows. Hmm…how about telekinesis? That certainly would explain the flying. But then again, it doesn't explain the invisible barrier you put up for your siblings…" trails on Tony, indifferent to the escalating annoyance directed at him from almost everyone in the room.

Emma rolls her eyes but tunes him out nonetheless. She is seething on the inside but she does want to find out what the repercussions of attacking Tony will be as she is pretty sure that this time, the shots fired at her will be anything but tranquilizers.

He continues talking incessantly to himself for a few more minutes before he slumps down against his seat and says exasperatedly, "Well, I give up. Man, I'm not even solving a murder but I feel like Sherlock Holmes already."

Apparently, his final statement is enough to send Natasha over the edge and she meets his eyes coldly.

"Stark, shut up," grinds out Natasha. Even though she does not raise her voice, the hidden threat behind her words is prominent and fortunately enough to zip the lid on his mouth as his face pales slightly.

Emma opens one eye and sees what Stark is seeing.

Natasha is casually twirling a dagger in her hands in front of Stark and Emma knows that it is a tactic employed to intimidate Tony.

However, she has no doubt that Natasha is lethal with it. For once, she is grateful towards her and she fights to bite back a smile.

Relieved, Emma closes her eyes and attempts to rest. The exhaustion from earlier is taking its toll on her and it does not take long before her consciousness is lost from reality.

No one attempts to speak again and thus, silence becomes the loudest sound aboard the plane.

* * *

Nick Fury hastily rushes down the hallway of the Helicarrier into the interrogation room to meet their newest _guests_ per say. He is intrigued to meet them all in real life – more so for the particular assets they can offer S.H.I.E.L.D. However, he has more pressing matters to speak to the girl first.

As he enters the white barren room save for a desk and two chairs, he is met with a pair of vivid black eyes that pierce into his soul, void of any emotion. They bore into him and he is slightly unnerved by the intensity of her gaze but he remains stoic.

Fury clears his throat and takes a seat in front of Emma before addressing her. "Emma Mayer?"

Her eyes fixate on the man who has just entered. He is of African American descent and is wearing a black trench coat and an eye patch on one eye, reminding her very much of a pirate.

_Who even wore eye patches anymore?_ Emma wonders but does not reply save for the small nod of affirmation in response to his question.

She watches as he clasps his hands together, leaning forward slightly – his expression serious.

"Thank you for your cooperation, Emma," says Fury before he continues. "I am Nick Fury, the director of S.H.I.E.L.D."

Emma snorts and raises an eyebrow in challenge. "Well, your agents didn't exactly leave us much of a choice, did they?"

"Ah, well S.H.I.E.L.D has every right to take precautions, don't we? Especially if we are dealing with a trained escape artist," refutes Fury with a gleam in his eye. "That's what you are, isn't it? Not everyone manages to break out of a highly secure facility, much less live to tell the tale."

She ignores his words.

"What do you guys even want with us, anyway? If you want our help in finding Hydra, let me enlighten you on the fact that having agents breathe down our necks every second is definitely not a good way to start," spits out Emma angrily.

She is absolutely livid as ever since she awoke upon arrival, she has not seen the twins at all. They have been separated unwillingly and their cries of desperation for her still resound repeatedly within her mind. Having taken it upon herself to be the twins' caretaker, she elbowed one agent whilst trying to get to Nazli and Malik but is knocked unconscious by a prick to her neck. Needless to say, pissed off is an understatement to what she is feeling right now.

"I apologise for that but it was a necessary precaution deemed by the board of directors."

Emma scoffs. "I told Steve that the twins stay out of this – not to take them away from me."

Her fists clench and she grits her teeth. It is taking every ounce of her being to not degenerate him into mere particles right now.

Fury notices her state.

"You will see them soon, but first, Miss Mayer, I suggest you calm the fuck down," suggests Fury calmly. "Let us discuss everything in a civil manner."

Heeding his advice, she takes in a few deep breaths.

Fury lets her have her moment.

After a long pregnant pause, he raises one eyebrow.

"Feel better?" he asks, appraisingly.

Emma wants to say no, because frankly she is still boiling. However, she settles with a soft 'Yes' instead. It is better to get things over with so that she can see Nazli and Malik again.

Fury senses her inner turmoil and lets the corner of his lips curl up into a small smile. He places a stack of documents Emma did not even see him bring in on the table and looks her in the eye.

"Good, let's begin."

She lets out a deep groan.

* * *

In the surveillance room behind the glass panel, all the avengers including Bruce – who had not accompanied the rest to pick up Emma, along with Maria Hill, are watching the conversation unfold between Fury and the girl.

Everyone seems impassive but curious.

Steve is the only one who folds his arms tightly against his chest – an obvious sign of disapproval.

And Natasha notices right away but does not say anything.

It is an obvious fact that Steve somewhat cares for the Hydra escapees, and she is not surprised. Perhaps it is the sad plight that surrounds them, or because Hydra hits close to home such that Steve empathises with them. Natasha is unsure.

But Steve is not himself.

She returns her gaze back to the interrogation going on.

Fury opens his mouth to speak.

"Contrary to what you might think, you are not a prisoner here," begins Fury, quietly.

Emma scoffs at Fury's attempt of reassurance and gestures wildly to the rest of the room mockingly. "The entire army outside suggests otherwise."

"Like I mentioned before, it was a necessary precaution. However, you will be free to find your siblings and move about after this as I've put in a request with the board of directors. All we need from you is your full commitment to stopping Hydra."

"Just my word?" asks Emma with a quirk of a brow.

"A signed contract," clarifies Fury as he passes her a portion of the documents lining his view.

She takes it and scans every single detail. Her eyes zoom in on the title printed – **Induction as a member of the Avengers Initiative.**

"Really?" she scoffs. "I thought you only needed me to bring you to Hydra's base."

"Presumably, yes. However, S.H.I.E.L.D has high regards for people with – " pauses Fury as he searches for the right word. He continues, " – _special abilities _and we would like you as an asset if possible."

"What about Nazli and Malik?"

"If you mean the twins, then they will live with you. Contrary to your belief, we are not cruel enough to separate a family. And of course, as you suggested, they will lead normal lives until they are of age to decide otherwise."

Emma is tempted to accept his offer but everything seems too good to be true.

She narrows her eyes suspiciously. "What's the catch?"

Fury lets out a chuckle before glancing at her seriously.

"There is none. We value you and your gifts as an asset so we spare no expenses to get what we want."

Upon hearing his words, Emma looks him dead in the eye.

"Does S.H.I.E.L.D always get what they want?" she asks challengingly.

"Not always, but most of the times," affirms Fury with a smirk – one that Steve knows all too well. He recalls the day he made the bet with Fury in the gym when he was recruited as part of the initiative. He lost afterwards.

Emma is flattered but then again she is still cautious – mostly in regards to the twins.

"What makes you think I'm going to stick around after the stunt you just pulled out there? And what makes you think I'll even care to hang around them?" asks Emma contemplatively, pointing a finger lazily.

She looks right at the mirror which is actually a one way glass panel with the avengers observing everything. And it is as though she is looking into each and every one of their souls.

It makes Natasha smirk.

Comparatively, Tony lets out a whistle and comments, "Damn, she's feisty."

He is impressed. Anyone who does not trust Fury completely has his respect. After all, he is the ultimate spy. Even his secrets have secrets.

"And smart too," added in Clint as he chuckles, speaking for the first time. He takes note of how Emma is sharp enough to know that the mirror was only an illusion.

Maria Hill is the only emotionless one there. She crosses her arms and observes.

Emma has caught Fury off guard for a few seconds but he remains impassive. He takes a huge gamble.

"I'm pretty damn sure it's not on your bucket list to see the world burn at the feet of Hydra," states Fury as he looks at her pensive face.

He can tell that Emma is leaning towards acceptance but she is still unsure.

To rectify that, he throws all caution to the wind and adds, "I'm sure you wouldn't mind Ezekiel burning in hell would you, Amaris?"

Emma stiffens at the mention of Ezekiel and her full name. She does not know how he heard of those names but it is not time to reveal all her skeletons yet.

Her eyes darken and she replies, "You don't know anything."

She hopes her tone deters him.

It does.

And for once, Fury does not push.

He senses the severity behind her words and decides that it is a matter for another day. For now, his priority lies in recruiting her for the Avengers.

"Do you accept?" ask Fury as he stares at her expectantly, changing the topic as she wanted.

Emma is surprised that someone like him is not interrogating her excessively, but she is grateful. Perhaps there is something redeeming about Fury after all.

She decides that she has much to learn and makes up her mind.

"I do," affirms Emma as she signs the contract before holding out her hand. All she can think about now is Nazli and Malik.

They are merely a few minutes away and the anticipation is killing her.

Fury engulfs her tiny hand in a firm handshake and nods, pleased. He also senses her desperation to see the twins and he stands up, motioning towards the door.

"Let's go see your siblings, shall we?" suggests Fury.

Emma flashes a brief smile and follows suit. She prepares herself for an ensemble of agents to be escorting them but is once again, surprised. There are none.

As they walk, she looks at the director from her peripheral vision.

He is the epitome of intimidation in Emma's opinion and she dares not speak, not wanting to jeopardise anything. Instead, she settles on observing her surrounding environment.

Internally, Fury is relieved. Beyond the fact that Ezekiel is the current head of the Hydra Flame Division, he is next to clueless about him. The bravado he displayed earlier had been a calculated risk that thankfully, paid off and it is a start.

There is still much to learn from the redhead and Fury hopes all will be revealed soon.

After all, patience has never been his strong suit.

* * *

_Author's note_

_Hope you liked this chapter. _

_Any guesses to what Emma and the twin's gifts are?;)_

_Anyway, thanks for reviewing/following/favourit-ing. I really appreciate it._

_Till next time._


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

Phil Coulson lets out a genuine smile as he fixes his gaze on the twins in front of him. They are immersed in the game of Sudoku – a numbers game, and he is floored by their level of intellect. They are barely pre-teens but they are flying through page after page of the puzzle, increasing in difficulty each time but yet completing them with ease.

Nazli is outspoken and brave – she is her brother's rock.

Malik, on the other hand, is more reserved but his love for his family is fairly evident, if not prominent. They complement each other well – like ying and yang, the sun and the moon.

They are special – there is no doubt about that. And it is times like these that remind Phil Coulson just how gifted they are. However, beyond the spectacle of their gifts, Phil also sees the underlying vulnerability.

After all, they are still children.

His mind recalls the events of the past few hours.

* * *

_Two S.H.I.E.L.D agents enter the room with a child's body within each of their grasps. Upon seeing a couch within the vicinity, they lay the bodies down with ease next to each other. _

_It is the twins he had been tracking earlier. _

_But when he last saw them, they were up and kicking._

_Phil Coulson's jaw dropped to the floor. _

"_Why are they unconscious?" He asks in a hard voice._

_After unloading the precious cargo, one of the agents glances up at the balding man. He does not expect anyone else to be in the room._

"_I'm not at liberty to say, sir." _

_Phil's mood is dampened but then his eyes scrutinize the two agents' features. _

_They are dressed neatly in bullet vests while their jumpsuit beneath is crisp and straight. It clings onto them like a second skin. They have emotionless faces and to untrained eyes, they look like seasoned agents. _

_However, he knows better. _

_Underneath the bravado, Phil sniffs out the uncertainty and fear they try valiantly to conceal like a wolf hunting its prey. And he knows right away that they are new recruits – level 2 agents at the most. _

_He takes it easy on them._

_Calmly, Phil reaches into his pocket to pull out his ID card and he shows it to the two agents in front of him. _

_He watches patiently as their eyes widen in realisation instantly and the corner of his lips quirk upwards slightly. _

_They scramble to stand at attention and the man who refused him earlier has beads of sweat rolling down his forehead. _

"_A-agent Coulson…Sir, I had no idea you – l" he stutters. " – I apologise. I-I meant no disrespect, Sir."_

"_At ease, agents," commands Phil before he gestures towards the sleeping children once more. "I'll ask again, why are they unconscious?"_

_The agent who has been silent the whole time finally speaks up firmly. _

"_The girl and the twins weren't very accommodating so we had no choice but to tranquilize them, sir."_

"_And who gave those orders?" asks Phil with a raise of his eyebrow. He knows that Fury would not do such a thing on these children, especially since they needed the girl's help in particular._

"_Agent Rumlow, sir," answers the agent, nervously. His eyes dart left and right. _

_Rumlow, of course. _

_Although Brock Rumlow is one of the higher ranking field agents, Phil never trusted him. He is just too impulsive. _

_He feels that something is off about that agent but he will not mention it for now. After all, Rumlow reports to Alexander Pierce – the head of S.H.I.E.L.D, directly. _

_Phil gives no indication of his opinion and instead, nods his head in acquiescence at the agents._

"_Of course, you may take your leave now. I'll take over from here," dismisses Phil politely. _

_However, the agents stand their ground and they glance at each other in hesitance. _

"_Is there a problem?" _

_The agent who questioned Phil earlier looks him in the eye. _

"_No sir, but we have been given orders to stand guard – " he begins but is interrupted by the entrance of a third party. _

"_Then, you can stand guard outside," announces Tony Stark as he strides into the room with an air of confidence. Having taken off his ironman suit, Tony is now wearing a long sleeved ACDC T-shirt and designer jeans that is probably worth more than what Phil will ever earn in life. And behind him follows the rest of the Avengers – Thor, Natasha, Steve, Clint, Bruce. _

"_But we have been given orders by Agent Rumlow to – "_

_Tony rolls his eyes and replies carelessly, "Who the hell is Rumlow? Anyway, listen here buddy. We have been given orders by Director Fury to talk to Coulson here about something top secret – something you rookies probably have no clearance to know about. So unless you want to face the wrath of eye patch, I suggest you scram."_

"_But Mr Stark– " _

"_The door's that way."_

"_We have orders – "_

"_Son, just don't," speaks up Steve finally, backing Tony up. It makes Clint smirk as he recalls the exact same words said the last time they went off to fight Loki. _

_Talk about Déjà vu. _

_Tony walks to the door and holds his arm out, signalling for them to leave. _

_They don't._

_He raises one eyebrow in question when they are a beat too long but they make no further move. _

_The two agent are about to retort when they meet the challenging gaze of Natasha Romanov. She is smirking at them, enjoying every bit of their anxiety and fear. _

_Her hands toy carelessly with a dagger she had intimidated Stark with earlier and it does not take long for the agents to widen their eyes._

_It amuses her._

_There is no question about her identity, for she, along with Hawkeye, are legends at S.H.I.E.L.D. She looks every bit as deadly as the rumours describe and the agents do not want to be caught in the crossfire._

_Tony clears his throat again and when the agents' attention avert to him, he points towards the door suggestively. _

_This time, the agents don't need telling twice before they are gone. Clearly, Natasha is a force to be reckoned with and for once, Tony is not the person with one foot out the door._

"_Now that those losers are gone, Agent Coulson," addresses Tony as he turns to look at Phil in the eye. " – why don't you start explaining to us how you are alive."_

_The anger is evident in his tone and it resonates with Steve. After all, they had all mourned for Phil in their own little way and to find out he is alive is a game changer. It makes Steve wonder if Fury is lying about anything else._

_Phil sighs and begins, "I was on the verge of death. But they managed to revive my heart at the last second and I ended up in a coma for two months."_

"_That was a year ago, Coulson. Why didn't anyone tell us as soon as you woke up? Why did Fury make us believe you had died?" asks Bruce with a frown. He might not have known Coulson very well but it is hard not to like him for his caring personality. _

"_Nick wanted the Avengers to have something to avenge. A driving force, you could say. And my perceived death was the most opportune moment." _

_Tony snorts. "So he lied about your death? How nice of him. It still doesn't explain why no one told us after."_

"_That is classified."_

_Natasha raises her brow, Clint snorts, Steve and Thor stare and Bruce narrows his eyes._

"_That's bullshit and you know it, Coulson," snarls Tony as he glares daggers at the older agent._

"_Man of iron is right, speak the truth, son of Coul," demands Thor with narrowed eyes. _

_Phil doesn't cower but settles for a half-truth instead. _

"_A contingency plan," reveals Phil._

"_A conting – wait, what?" asks Tony in confusion, unsure if he heard Coulson correctly._

"_Believe it or not, Stark but there are much darker things that are going on right now on the inner workings of S.H.I.E.L.D and faking my death is part of a contingency plan should things go south."_

"_Well, that's great. As if S.H.I.E.L.D hasn't pissed off enough people already," mutters Tony sarcastically. _

"_You'd be surprised, Stark," says Clint dryly._

_Tony puts his hand on his chin and pretends to think. Then his eyes meet Phil's again._

"_Actually, nahh.. I wouldn't be," retorts Tony. "Are there like moles running around here now?"_

_He is not expecting agreement but is shocked when Phil nods his head._

"_Amongst other things, Stark," acquiesces Phil gravely with a solemn look etched onto his face. " –but that's all I'm going to say for now. At least, until Fury is sure."_

_Everyone takes in his words, processing them and no one breathes a sound. The thought of S.H.I.E.L.D being infiltrated is unbelievable seeing as how uptight they are with security. _

_However, no one is able to ponder as the deafening silence is broken by the opening of the lounge door. The metal door slides open to reveal Maria Hill's slim figure as she enters with a slight sway of her hips, oblivious to the conflict happening seconds before._

_She greets Coulson lightly before turning towards the others. _

"_Fury's talking to the girl now in the interrogation room, you're all required to come with me," she says, addressing the Avengers. _

_No one responds and it does not take long for her to notice the obvious tension in the room. She furrows her brows. _

"_Is something wrong?"_

_Tony glances at Coulson from his peripheral vision for a split second before clearing his throat loudly. _

"_No, there isn't." _

_Maria narrows her eyes and she is unconvinced. Her eyes survey the room and her gaze settles upon Steve._

"_Captain?"_

_Steve looks at his teammates and sighs. _

"_There's nothing wrong, Ma'am. We're all just tired," affirms Steve with an unreadable expression etched on his face._

"_If you're certain then."_

_Everyone nods in agreement and it is enough to dispel Maria's questioning for the moment. She knows that there is more going on than any of them is letting on but she will not push. _

_At least, not for now. _

_After all, there are more pressing matters to attend to._

_Maybe she will bring it up to Fury later on. But now, the priority is to talk to the girl._

"_If you would all kindly follow me then," says Maria as she heads out the door with the Avengers trailing behind her. _

_Footsteps click away and gets softer by the second. Soon, the room is empty save for the twins asleep and Phil himself._

_Tony is the last to leave but he gives Coulson one last cold look before he does. _

"_I'm going to keep digging and I'm not going to stop until I find out every last dirty secret of S.H.I.E.L.D's, I can promise you that," says Tony before the door slams shut. _

_Phil shakes his head in frustration but is unable to wallow in bitterness as the sound of muffled yawns can be heard resonating throughout the room. The effects of the tranquilizers must have worn off already._

_He turns his head towards the source. _

_The twins are waking up and as they stretch their arms, realisation dawns upon them that they are not in the warehouse any longer._

_They are alert now and their eyes zoom in on Phil. _

"_Who are you?" asks Malik in a cold voice. It is the first time he is speaking up but in light of recent events, he is more wary of everyone – especially men in suits. He remembers being forcibly dragged away from Emma with Nazli and is angry about that. He is also scared._

_Phil offers a gentle smile but stays where he is. He knows that advancing towards them will only cause more apprehension and fear._

"_I'm Phil Coulson, an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D."_

"_Where are we and where's Emma?" demands Malik as his eyes darts around the room frantically searching for the door._

"_Right now, you're at our headquarters and Director Fury is currently speaking to your sister."_

_Malik eyes Phil up and down critically, assessing the threat like they are opponents competing in a martial arts showdown. _

_It is unnerving but Phil can't fault him. If anything, pride swells within him at how cautious and protective Malik seems to be. He is a good brother._

_Malik turns to his sister but they don't speak at all. It is like they are telepathic, communicating in their heads. They seem to be having an intense debate but it is fairly obvious that they have come to a consensus as soon as Malik's gaze returns to Phil's._

_This time, the wariness in his eyes is toned down a little and he reaches his hand forward to which Phil takes in a firm handshake._

_There is something about Phil Coulson which warrants his trust instantly. It is rare._

_He is the first man in a suit that gives off a positive vibe._

"_I'm Malik and this is my sister, Nazli." _

_Nazli beams at Phil with warmth in her gaze and she walks over to shake his hand as well._

"_It's nice to meet, you two. I've never met twins before," comments Phil lightly as he smiles at Nazli and Malik, happy about their acceptance._

_The cautious glint is still present in his blue eyes._

_But it is a start._

_Malik shrugs offhandedly. "I guess we're the first then." _

"_How long is our sister going to take?" asks Nazli, her curiosity piqued._

_Phil's gives them both an apologetic look. "I'm afraid it'll take a while. Fury wants her to join the Avengers."_

"_The superheroes?" _

"_The superheroes," affirms Phil. "Have you heard of them?"_

"_The new kids talk about them all the time," replies Nazli._

"_New kids?"_

"_Yeah, whenever new kids were brought in to join us in Hydra, they used to say that Captain America will save them. It gave them hope."_

_Phil's heart clenches. "What changed?"_

_Malik gives him a sad smile, "They changed." _

_Nazli sees his confused expression and elaborates further. "The scientists brought them away for tests and when they came back, they became mean."_

_Phil squats down to their level with a serious expression. "Do they do that to everyone?"_

_Nazli shakes her head. "Only to the ones who rebelled. We pretended to cooperate so we wouldn't be brought for those tests. We didn't want to change."_

_His eyes soften and he places a hand on each of their shoulders._

"_You won't have to. You're safe now," assures Phil._

_Nazli nods in response but her sad expression never falters. Their ten year old minds comprehend the fact that Hydra never stops until they get what they want and they are afraid. _

"_Yes, but how long are we safe for?"_

_This time, Phil Coulson has no response._

* * *

As Fury promised, Emma walks into the sight of her twin siblings sprawled across the couch – engrossed in a puzzle book. When they spot her, they join hands and collide into her, hugging her tightly.

"Emmy!"

"How've you been?" laughs Emma as she lifts both of their tiny bodies up in her hand, lightening their masses with her gift.

"Mr Coulson told us that you're going to be a superhero now, Emmy. Is that true?" asks Nazli excitedly.

Emma's face falls slightly before she recomposes herself. "If you mean joining the avengers, then yes. I agreed to be a part of the initiative."

"That's good, isn't it? You can help rescue the other kids now!"

Emma sighs.

Her eyes depict her worry.

"It's not so simple, Nazli."

"Why not?"

Emma smiles but it does not reach her eyes. She leans down to whisper in their ears.

"What if I fail?"

Malik hugs her.

"You won't, Emmy. You're the bestest older sister in the world and if anyone's going to rescue the other kids, it's you."

"Your faith is astounding," chuckles Emma dryly. _I wish I could believe that._

Nazli nudges her gently with her hand in encouragement but it doesn't help to lift Emma's spirit much. If anything, it increases her worries.

If she failed, not only would she be letting those kids down, she would also be letting her siblings down.

Fury senses the morbidity in the situation and chooses to step in. He walks up to them.

"Perhaps it is wise for you to retire to your rooms now. I imagine tomorrow to be a long day, Miss Mayer."

Emma rolls her eyes and chuckles dryly, "Right, we'll be meeting the band of misfits again. How could I forget?"

"Not just that, your mission begins tomorrow as well. You'll be helping Doctor Banner and Tony Stark locate the bases as well."

"Great. Another Spanish inquisition - as if we don't feel like freaks of nature already."

Fury chuckles but denies nothing. "Damn Stark, he gets on everyone's nerves. But he'll grow on you, kind of like mould."

Nazli and Malik cringe. "Eww mould."

Throwing her head back in laugher, Emma clarifies, "He just means that we will like Tony eventually, twinsies."

Their eyes widen as realisation dawns upon them.

It is a sight to see.

Now that the mood is lifted, Fury continues.

"Well, shall I have agent Coulson escort you to your room now?" asks Fury with a raise of his brows.

Emma nods in agreement and is internally relieved for the break offered. A bed is like an oasis in the desert right now and the exhaustion is still ever present.

She looks at the twins and sees them nestled against the crook of her neck, eyelids drooping. A small grin appears on her face – seems like they agree with her as well.

It is then that she also notices the other figure present in the room.

Agent Phil Coulson – the man introduced himself as.

He is the one to show them to their room as Fury takes his leave and Emma takes a liking to him immediately. He exudes a certain kind of warmth about him that makes her want to open up to him and he keeps the conversation light as he walks her though corridors after corridors.

It is refreshing.

However, she also feels a pang in heart and closes her eyes briefly. He reminds her so much of her father - she hasn't seen him in so long, since she was ten.

But it matters not anymore.

This is her life now. She chose this.

She can't back out anymore.

"Here we are, Miss Mayer," says Phil as he leads her to another metal door. "You'll find everything you need inside so hopefully it's all to your liking."

Emma smiles. Phil is very easy to talk to and he is very kind – she can tell.

"Thank you. And it's just Emma to you, Phil."

Phil Coulson smiles gently, his blue eyes twinkling. "Of course, Emma. But I should get going now. I hope the three of you get a good night's rest."

"You too, Phil. Good night."

She does not know what else to say and frankly, she is tired. So all Emma does is wave and she watches as Phil's figure retreats. Turning her back, she makes a move to unlock their room door, thinking he is long gone by now.

However, Emma is pleasantly surprised when his voice rings out again from the end of the corridor again.

"Oh and Emma?"

Her curiosity is piqued. "Yes?"

"I think you'll get along just fine with the 'band of misfits'!"

Loud laughter rings out before the sound of the door slamming shut can be heard.

It is a good start to a new life.

Perhaps Phil Coulson is right, maybe they will get along.

If he believes in them, then she will too.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

The morning sun peaks in from the windows aboard the Helicarrier and Steve welcomes it.

He walks towards the Avenger's private lounge, humming along the way. His hair is still wet from his shower after his workout but it does not dampen his mood at all. In fact, he has a gut feeling that today is going to be a good day.

Grabbing a cup of coffee from the Cafeteria along the way, he mutters a polite thank you to the lunch lady and turns back on his trail to his destination.

Manoeuvring through the corridors of the Helicarrier had proved to be a challenging feat at first but now, it is a breeze. S.H.I.E.L.D agents tended to tense and avoid him whenever they saw him – he had no idea why, but he did not mind the relief it provided him from not having to push through a throng of people.

Perhaps they are intimidated by the Avengers, Steve is unsure. But he pays everyone no mind and walks along.

As he enters the lounge, Steve sees everyone gathered there and is greeted by Tony's usual snarky comment, this time it is something along the lines of 'having a late night dreaming of a certain someone'.

He is used to it and he merely rolls his eyes before glimpsing over Tony's shoulders at everyone else.

Bruce is furiously scribbling something down on a recording sheet – he usually is, whilst Natasha and Clint are stoically reading the morning papers. Thor is happily munching away on his newfound addiction – pop tarts, as usual and it is still odd for Steve to see everyone being so _normal._

"Where's Fury?" asks Steve as he settles down beside Thor on a sofa.

Thor gives Steve what he meant to be a friendly pat on the back but hurt like hell when he executed it.

"Oww, Thor!" yelps Steve in unexpected shock at the stinging pain. What was that for?

"My apologies, friend Steve. It slipped my mind that Midgardians are not as durable as Asgardians are. Forgive me," says Thor with a mirthful chuckle.

Steve rubs the back of his neck awkwardly before accepting his apology. Turning to Natasha, he looks at her expectantly.

Feeling his piercing gaze upon her, Natasha sighs.

"Fury went to retrieve the mutants," states Natasha casually, not looking up from her papers.

Tony hops onto the sofa and sits next to Steve, plopping his legs on the coffee table at the same time.

"Ah yes, Foxy and the devil twins, how could I forget?"

"Stark!" warns Steve with a dark glare.

"Lighten up, Capsicle. 70 years in the ice really did nothing to loosen you up," chirps Tony to Steve before he returns his gaze back to Natasha. "What does Fury want us to do again?"

"He wants up to start locating the Hydra Flame Division base today with Emma's help," offers Bruce as he glances up from his task for a split second before returning back to scribble more notes down. What does Bruce even write about anyway?

"Hey, didn't Fury mention that her real name was Amaris or something?" wonders Clint aloud as he puts down the papers.

Tony smirks.

"Yep. And I'm way ahead of you as usual, bird brain. Jarvis is already running through all of S.H.I.E.L.D's records as we speak to dig up the file on her. In a matter of minutes, I'll know all of her dirty secrets plus the truth about Coulson's death."

Clint snorts while Steve stares at Tony with his mouth agape.

"I know, I know. No need to compliment me, it's all in a day's work," says Tony egoistically with a prominent smirk etched on his face.

Natasha looks up and rolls her eyes.

"I don't think Steve meant to compliment you, Stark."

"Shut up, Spidey," refutes Tony as his phone beeps loudly.

He glances down at the screen report that Jarvis sent him on his phone and scrolls through it like a thirsty man gulping down water in a merciless desert.

In a span of two minutes, the grin upon his face morphs into a deep scowl. Grunting, Tony then shoves his phone back into his back pocket roughly.

"What now?" asks Clint, exasperated. Even Bruce seems mildly annoyed.

"Jarvis couldn't find anything other than what we already know about Emma on S.H.I.E.L.D's database at all. Some spy organisation this is if they don't even know anything about the background of a mere teenage girl."

Everyone looks at up incredulous eyes.

"What about Son of Coul?" asks Thor between mouthfuls of pop tarts – he has already finished two boxes.

If possible, Tony's scowl got bigger.

"That was a load of shit too. His death was classified under a file called project T.A.H.I.T.I but damn, that file is even more secure than the secret service. It'll take days before I can even break through the first firewall."

Natasha smirks. "Looks like S.H.I.E.L.D has outdone themselves, haven't they, Stark?"

"Err…how about no," refutes Tony, shooting a dark glare at the assassin. "Nothing's too big for Tony Stark to handle. You bet your ass that I'm going to rummage through all of Fury's dark secrets by the end of this week, I promise you that."

Just when Natasha is about to respond, the sound of a throat clearing resonates throughout the room.

Tony freezes for a second before turning around to look at the door.

Fury is standing there his arms crossed and boy, he does not look pleased. Standing next to him is the redheaded girl – Emma and she looks like she is trying very hard to hold back her laughter.

Her eyes no longer hold any anger in them and it makes her face glow somehow.

It is refreshing to see.

"I hope you are not going to do that, Stark," remarks Fury as he walks in to the centre of the room with Emma in tow.

"Of course not," lies Tony.

Fury rolls his eyes at Tony's blatant lie but otherwise, does not harp on the subject any longer. Instead, he gestures towards Emma and offers a small smile.

"Everyone, I'd like you to officially meet Emma Mayer. She'll be joining as a seventh member of the Avenger's initiative," introduces Fury as he steps aside to give Emma space.

Emma is nervous but she swallows her fears. Giving a small wave, she mutters, "Hi."

"Miss Mayer will be working alongside Doctor Banner and Stark to locate the Hydra base and she'll be joining in for fieldwork as well," states Fury before he pauses. " – now, any questions?"

"Where are the twins?" asks Tony directly to Emma.

Sighing, Emma answers, "They're with Phil. He's their charge."

"_Coulson?_ Are they training them to be assassins that young?" spouts Tony, incredulous.

"Of course not, Stark. Agent Coulson is merely taking care of them while Emma works on this mission with all of you. The twins will not be involved in any S.H.I.E.L.D activities at all," states Fury firmly with a stoic expression. "Any other _useful _questions?"

Bruce steps forward with a gentle smile. "If you don't mind me asking, what exactly is your gift, Miss Mayer? You don't have to answer if you don't want to, of course."

He is courteous, unlike Stark and it resonates well with Emma. She takes a liking to Bruce immediately and despite knowing that he is the Hulk, she can't help but think that he is such a sweet guy.

Emma's eyes soften.

"Of course not. And to answer your question, I'm not sure what to call my gift but basically, I'm able to manipulate atoms."

Everyone fixates their gaze upon Emma with keen interest.

"What do you mean by that?" asks Clint in wonder.

"Well everything and everyone around us is made up of particles and atoms and I can change the atom shape, size, quantity, you name it," answers Emma kindly.

"So that's why you can fly!" exclaims Tony upon realisation. "You lightened your mass, along with your siblings by changing the density of the atoms that make up your body."

"Yup," nods Emma, the corner of her lips curl upwards slightly. If there is one thing she is proud of, it is her gift.

"Are there any limits to your gifts?" questions Tony once more.

This time, a full-fledged smirk appears on her face.

"I think that's enough questioning for one day, Mr Stark," states Emma firmly but Tony is relentless.

"Aww, come on, foxy!"

"Stark, for the last time, don't," warns Steve as he steps up in front of Emma protectively.

She is shocked that Steve is standing up for her but her face remains impassive. She barely even knows him but she can tell that he is every bit as righteous and gentlemanly as the Hydra captives claimed him to be.

Placing a hand on Steve's shoulder, Emma murmurs a 'thank you' in gratitude and feels his tense muscles relax slightly before she looks to Fury, raising her eyebrow as a cue for him to step in.

He does.

Director Fury sighs before he walks up to diffuse the situation.

"Alright, let's get started. For now, I only need Doctor Banner and Stark to help Emma out. The rest of you just stay alert and ready to go should they get conclusive results today. If there's nothing else, this meeting is adjourned then."

* * *

_The man is having a rather bad day and anyone in his way feels the tension rolling off him in waves. _

_As he trudges down the streets of Pennsylvania, passing by the Independence Hall, he sees something in his peripheral vision. _

_He pauses mid-step suddenly, causing the man who was walking behind him in a rush to crush into him. _

_In the end, they both fall to the floor._

"_Watch where you're going man!" curses the man before he gets up and hastily rushes off in a hurry. _

_Under normal circumstances, the man in his Armani suit would have been pissed off. _

_This is not a normal circumstance._

_It seems like today is an exception. For the figure back facing him in the alley captivates his attention far more than the man who had just knocked him down. _

_He silently observes the girl in the alley. _

_She is clearly a runaway judging by her dirtied and tattered clothes but it does not bother the wealthy man one bit. In fact, it intrigues him._

_The girl is stealing something from the apartment but that is not what interests him. What utterly besots him is the method in which she is using to steal. _

_Her feet is off the ground – almost like she is flying, and even though the man cannot see her face, he can tell that she is fully concentrated on pulling something out of the window in the alleyway. _

_And he is right. _

_A few minutes later, a stream of groceries emerge floating from the window – cereal, fruit, canned beans, you name it. They float to where the girl motions them to and when they reach her, she hastily starts grabbing the food suspended in mid-air and begins furiously stuffing everything into her backpack, completely oblivious to the audience present. _

_Just as she is placing the last piece of fruit into her bag, the man decides to reveal his presence. _

"_That was impressive," compliments the man as he steps into view._

_The girl freezes._

"_Don't be alarmed, I'm not here to harm you," says the man as he raises both hands in surrender. But the smile never falls off his face – it is as though he has struck gold._

"_Who are you?" hisses the girl when she regains her senses. _

"_I'm here to make you an offer."_

_She scoffs. "Yeah thanks but no thanks. I think I'm fine."_

_The man walks towards her calmly, setting her on edge even more. _

"_But you haven't even heard my offer yet." _

"_Whatever, I'm not interested in having sex with you. I'm not a hooker. Now, get lost before I blast you to China," growls the girl fiercely, hoping her tone deters him._

_It doesn't. _

_The man chuckles lightly. _

"_Oh no, I'm not here for that."_

"_What are you here for then?" mutters the girl with a roll of her eyes. She isn't even sure why she is listening to the words coming out of that stranger's mouth. She can incinerate him before he realises what is happening._

"_To make an offer," repeats the man calmly as he comes to a stop before her. _

_They are a few feet apart now and the girl can see his face clearly. The man has dark brown hair, an elongated sharp nose and piercing blue eyes. His face is rather hollow and his lips are thin, making him look distinctly European and giving her the impression that he is at least 40 years old._

_She eyes him warily. What could a rich man in an Armani suit want with a runaway?_

"_What kind of offer?"_

"_I own an organisation of sorts. And we specialise in unique cases like yours per say. I believe that we can help you control your powers."_

_The girl sneers. "Yeah, no thanks. I'm not going to be treated like a lab experiment."_

_He laughs lightly before saying soothingly, "Ah no of course not. Contraire, you'll be treated like a queen. I can provide you with everything you need. All I want to do is help you help yourself."_

"_What exactly does your organisation do again?" asks the girl sceptically. _

_His offer sounds too good to be true but she can't deny its appeal to her._

"_We protect people from threats and you are exactly what this organisation embodies."_

"_A-are there others l-like me there?" asks the girl hesitantly. _

_The man smiles, the corner of his eyes creasing._

"_Yes, many other gifteds like you. But of course, they have different gifts as well. It will be a promising experience if you come with me." _

"_Why should I believe a single word coming out of your mouth? You don't even know me. For all I know, you could be a psychopath."_

_Her fists clench and she takes a step back._

_The man chuckles once more, unnerving her._

"_Not a psychopath, that I assure you. But perhaps a visionary. I see your potential, young one. You are full of promise and you are simply waiting to be moulded to perfection. My organisation is the stepping stone to helping you unlock your true potential. Imagine that, no more hiding. You won't have to live on the streets anymore."_

_Her eyes narrow. "Let's say I do accept your offer, and hypothetically, if I do cause harm to someone – be it intentionally or accidentally, are you going to call the cops on me?"_

_A glint appears in the man's eyes. He senses her thirst for revenge. _

"_My my, what a devious one you are. Are you actually planning on intentionally harming someone once you gain control of your powers?" asks the man as he scrutinises her like a wolf circling its prey._

_She gulps. "I have no idea what you're talking about."_

_Suddenly, the man throws his head back in laughter. _

_It shoots shivers down her spine._

"_I think you'll fit in perfectly!" _

_Confused, the girl stares at him blankly – fully expecting him to run away screaming._

"_Tell me, what is your name young one and how old are you?" asks the man after he regained his composure, expecting answer._

_However, she is a rebel at heart and she is defiant._

"_Why don't you tell me your name and age first?" counters the girl with a challenging gleam in her dark eyes._

_It amuses the man. So he humours her._

"_Touché," says the man before he grins widely – revealing pearly white teeth that in her opinion, look more like sharp canines. "Very well then, I am Ezekiel Saltsburg and I am pushing 40 years of age. What is your name, little one?"_

"_Ezekiel…" repeats the girl before she shakes her head to jolt herself out of her dazed stupor. _

"_I am Amaris Meir and I'm a 15 year old runaway extraordinaire," introduces the redhead with a lazy grin._

"_What a lovely name, correct me if I'm wrong but it means 'given by god', does it not?"_

_Amaris is stunned and it shows on her face. "Yes, how'd you know? Not many people know that…"_

_The man – Ezekiel, grins slyly. "My dear, there are many things that I know. And I can show you if you let me."_

_She mulls the idea over. _

_If she went with him, she would not have to live on the streets any longer. And if he taught her how to control her powers, she'd be able to protect herself. _

_It seems like a pretty good deal._

_She cocks her head to the side, contemplating. _

"_You will have the world in the palm of your hand, I promise you."_

_With that statement said, a smirk appears on the girl's face. _

"_Hmm…in that case, do I get to incinerate people too?"_

_Ezekiel places a reassuring hand on her scrawny shoulders._

"_And more," he promises firmly, meaning every word. _

_And it is enough to convince her. _

_With her mind made up, Amaris nods and says, "I'm in." _

_Delighted, Ezekiel grins widely and claps his hands in approval. "You're one to watch, young Amaris. And I have a feeling you're going to change the world one day."_

_Ezekiel's words are exactly what a naïve fifteen year old who is angry at the world wants to hear and it pleases her immensely. _

"_Hail Hydra, Amaris," whispers Ezekiel softly into the girl's ear._

_It sends thrills down her spine and she mirrors the grin he has on his face._

"_Hail Hydra."_

* * *

Emma blinks as she is brought out of her reverie by a waving motion in front of her face.

It makes her dizzy so she swats the hands in front of her away with a scowl on her face. "What the hell was that for, Stark?"

Tony rolls his eyes and mutters under his breath, "So much for trying to help her."

Bruce gazes into Emma's eyes, concerned. "Are you alright, Emma? You were quite out of it for a while. I called your name a few times but you weren't responding."

Dazed, Emma closes her eyes for a brief moment.

She reopens them with a loud sigh.

"Yeah I'm fine, I was just thinking. Thanks for asking, Bruce," whispers Emma in gratitude as she rubs her eyes tiredly.

She ignores Tony's presence completely and returns her eyes back to the computer screen.

"Where were we?" asks Emma while glancing at the clock. It read 1 am.

They'd been in the lab for approximately 15 hours and she was dead tired.

When they'd first got to the lab, they realised that Hydra had moved their base and so Tony, Bruce and Emma had begun another task of locating their new hideouts through pattern recognition.

Needless to say, it had not been easy.

Even now, they are barely scratching the surface of anything.

It is grating on everybody's nerves - even Fury's.

"Well, we were discussing about Hydra actually. We deduced that they would probably build their base in an area that is remote, large and yet completely out of sight. We just have to cross out their previous hideouts to locate the next possible locations. But even so, it doesn't narrow down the spectrometers by much. This is literally like finding a needle in a haystack," groans Bruce as he readjusts his glasses.

Tony rolls around on his chair.

"I've already crossed out all the places Emma told us, which frankly is like nothing at all. And we are left with – " trails off Tony as he glances at his screen. " – just about every part of the world except for four states in America, Russia, Japan and Germany. Great."

Emma and Bruce both groan loudly. It almost seems pointless.

"Is there anything you remember at all about your time with Hydra that would give us a clue to where they might have moved to?" asks Bruce for the fifth time that day.

As expected, Emma shakes her head in frustration. "No, I wish I'd paid more attention or asked more questions. It really sucks now."

Bruce offers her a gentle smile. "Hey, don't worry about it. I guess we just have to do it the long way then. We'll just have S.H.I.E.L.D on the lookout for Ezekiel like how they did with Loki last year."

"I'm sorry," murmurs Emma as she gazes at the screen before her blankly.

This time, it is Tony who speaks up.

"Don't worry about it, kiddo. We'll find them."

Emma nods but sighs in resignation.

_I really hope so_.

* * *

**Author's note**

Thanks for following/reviewing/favourite-ing this story :) I really appreciate it.

Please do leave a feedback if you can, it would mean the world to me.

I hope you enjoyed the chapter!

Till next time!


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I own nothing from the Marvel Universe. The only characters I own are Emma, Nazli, Malik and Ezekiel. Also, if anything offends anyone in the story, please know that it is not intentional. This story is written for entertainment purposes only. If nothing else, I hope you enjoy the chapter!**

Chapter Six

_Amaris rises up the ranks of the Hydra Flame Division with ease as expected._

_After all, she is a natural._

_And soon, she is the leader of her squadron – an elite team of 5 gifted individuals. Hydra brings in new recruits day after day but she never sees any issue with their behaviour. In fact, she is given the impression that they are as willing as she is._

_She starts to believe and see the good in what Hydra is doing – giving people a second chance. Life is turning out better than she dreamed of. _

_That is, until she stumbles across something life altering in the wee hours of the morning one day. _

_Amaris is heading to meet Ezekiel when she hears a sharp cry ring out from lab C along the way. Alarmed, she stops and presses herself against the wall. Using her gift, she reduces the permeability of the lab door and peeks in like she is viewing from a one way glass panel._

_The people inside do not notice her._

_But what she sees alters her image of Hydra indefinitely. _

_It is her teammate, Byron – he has an affinity with electricity, but what shocks her is the fact that he is chained to a chair with rubber insulators, minimalizing the usage of his power. His hands are tied up as well and she sees the clenched fists he has, his nails most likely digging into his palms._

_Why would he be there? _

_He has a pained but yet defiant expression on his face and in front of him is a screen that displays an array of colours, ever changing. _

_Amaris is suspicious. _

_As far as she knows, Byron is as loyal and well behaved as any Hydra agent can get. It does not make sense for him to get punished. So she watches on. _

_A man wearing a white lab coat circles Byron like how a hunter teases its prey._

_He opens his mouth to speak._

_And she strains her ears to listen._

"_Take a deep breath and calm your mind. You know what's best for you, what's best is you comply," states the man calmly in an eerily soothing voice. _

_At first, Amaris is confused. Then she listens on as the man repeats his words a few more times. _

_He has her enraptured for all the wrong reasons._

"_Compliance will be rewarded, Mr Miller. Are you ready to comply?" asks the man in the white lab coat for the third time. _

_Byron seems like he is trying to resist and it seems like he is succeeding. However, ultimately, his efforts proved to be futile._

_And it isn't before long before he utters the very words that send shivers down Amaris' spine. _

"_I'm happy to comply," promises Byron robotically. That is all it takes for the man to lift a smile at Byron._

_Eyes widening in realisation, Amaris stops looking and leans back against the white wall. She covers her mouth with both hands in shock._

_She is flabbergasted. _

_All this while, Hydra has been brainwashing her teammates. And she never realised._

_Her heart races in fear and she begins to question, what does Hydra really stand for? _

_She does not want to stick around to get caught so she scampers away hastily towards the lift lobby, adrenaline pulsing through her veins. Her 'fight or flight' response takes it course. She chooses to flee. _

_She wonders what will happen if she refuses to do something. _

_Will they make her comply too? _

_Her heart sinks to her stomach._

* * *

Emma awakes with a loud gasp.

Her heart is thudding furiously against her chest. Pupils dilating, she takes in her surroundings and is eternally grateful that she is aboard S.H.I.E.L.D property rather than Hydra.

They are definitely worlds apart.

"Emmy?"

Emma looks to her left to see Nazli staring at her with wide eyes. She does not respond.

"Did you dream about Hydra again?" mumbles Malik groggily, awakened by Nazli's voice.

She stares at her twin siblings and sighs deeply, nodding her head. It is a common sight for the twins to see their sister having nightmares about said organisation and sometimes, Emma wonders how they can care for her.

After all, they are not even related.

"What is it about this time?" asks Nazli, concern evident in her deep brown eyes.

"It's not really a nightmare this time per say. I was just reliving a memory. Don't worry about it, sweetheart," assures Emma with a forced smile.

Nazli is perceptive and she knows Emma is lying.

She persists, "Is it about the bad guys making everyone mean again?"

Emma lets out a deep breath she did not even know she had been holding.

"Nothing ever gets past you, does it, Nazli?" says Emma with a small smile.

Malik jumps in with a grin and shakes his head. "Nope, nothing ever gets past Nazzy."

Nazli rolls her eyes but grins widely. "Shush, Malik."

She returns her gaze back to Emma, eyes full of concern. "Are you really okay?"

Emma closes her eyes for a brief moment before reopening them.

"Honestly, no," admits Emma wryly. But hope blossoms within her chest as she gazes upon her siblings' faces. It has only been two days with S.H.I.E.L.D but she feels more at home than she ever did with Hydra.

"But I will be."

* * *

Clint is taking shots at the target with his crossbow when he feels a presence behind him. He stops and turns to look at the intruder, wondering who could possibly be awake at 5 am in the morning.

It is Emma and she is watching him with an unreadable face.

"Do you shoot?" asks Clint with a small upturn of his lips after a momentary silence.

Emma blinks her eyes.

"I used to," she says vaguely. He gets the hint that she does not want to talk so he doesn't question her any further.

Instead, Clint walks over to pick up a spare wooden bow and holds it out for her to take. "Here, have a go."

She is hesitant but decides to relent.

Wordlessly, Emma reaches for the bow and picks up an arrow, taking aim immediately. She lets go and watches as the arrow soars through the air.

The arrow eventually embeds itself a few centimetres away from the centre of the target board and Clint claps for her, impressed. "Not a bad shot, Mayer."

Emma sighs. "I'm rusty."

There is a mutual understanding between them and Clint smiles. "Don't worry about it, you just need practice. Come on. Let's see how many bull's eyes you can get today."

Without another word said, the two of them spend the rest of the morning practicing their shots in each other's solace. It is comforting and it is exactly what Emma needs.

A huge rush courses through her veins as the familiarity of a bow reignites the lost passion she once had for that said weapon.

It has been years since she has taken a shot, let alone touched a bow. Hydra saw no need for such weapons when she is already a gifted individual. And so, the last time she had any contact with the said weapon was before she ran away from home – a long time ago.

As Emma releases her final arrow, watching as it hits dead centre of the target board, she grins widely. She has not had such fun in years.

Clint senses her euphoria and can't help but smile at her infectious mood as well. He pats her lightly on the back.

"You're pretty good at this, Mayer," says Clint with a half smirk and cocked eyebrow.

Emma rolls her eyes good naturedly.

"You aren't too shabby yourself, Hawkeye," she compliments with a beaming smile.

"Did Hydra teach you how to shoot?" asks Clint, curious.

It is evidently the wrong thing to ask as the atmosphere in the mood becomes predominantly tenser and heavier. Emma's eyes harden as well and there is no trace of her light mood left on her face.

"No," mutters Emma quietly.

They lapse into silence and Clint presumes that she does not want to elaborate. So he turns around to gather his belongings in understanding, prepared to leave.

Much to his surprise, Emma's voice rings out from behind and it halts him from his movement.

"Hydra isn't into crafted weapons. My father is the reason why I'm good with the bow. He taught me everything I know," she admits softly. Her voice carries a slight vulnerability and it sends a pang through Clint's heart.

He turns around to face her, eyes softening. "He must have been talented."

"The best," corrects Emma with a fond smile before she closes her eyes in reminiscence for a brief moment. She is now sitting cross legged on the ground.

"It is uncommon for people within our community to use bows, let alone hunt at all," explains Emma as she looks into Clint's eyes. "But my father didn't care. Despite his flaws, he was a free spirit and I loved that about him. He was a loyal follower of the prophet but he always found a way to bend the rules just for me in secret. He made my life fun."

Confusion pools in Clint's eyes. Was she talking about her neighbourhood?

As if reading his thoughts, Emma shakes her head gently in response to his non-verbal question.

"I was born in a polygamist community," clarifies Emma softly. Her voice is terse but Clint knows it is not at him, but rather at the thought of her previous life.

He nods his head in understanding as realisation dawns upon him. "Wow, they were pretty fucked up, weren't they?"

Emma scoffs. "That's an understatement. It was suffocating, to say the least. I lived in a house with my father and his three wives – including my mother, as well as 10 other siblings."

"I always knew it was bad but damn, three wives? That's serious."

Giving him a wry smile, Emma mutters dryly, "You should've seen the other families or the prophet – Warren Jeffs. Last I heard, he was taking on his 78th wife."

Clint's eyes widen in recognition. "He was arrested though, wasn't he?"

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean his influence stops. I don't really know, and neither do I care."

"From what I saw in the documentary on breaking polygamy, most people put him high up on a godly pedestal and they hang onto his every word. What woke you up?"

Emma sighs. "I was told by my mother that I was to be married to a 48 year old man whom I didn't know – and he already had 4 wives. I was only ten years old."

"Ten?" Clint's eyes bug out of his sockets. "That's insane."

"Yeah needless to say, it was a good wake up call. My dad wasn't the typical polygamist, you see. He didn't totally agree with Warren's beliefs and I guess that's the reason why I wasn't as ignorant as the other kids my age. And out of all my siblings, I was the closest one to my dad."

"So he helped you escape?" asks Clint.

Emma shakes her head sadly. "No, but he did educate me on the outside world. From where I'm from, girls basically own nothing and we barely have any knowledge other than the fact that our job was to pop out as many kids as possible. My father's way of helping me was to teach me as much as he could in secret."

"Then how did you end up leaving?"

"I knew I was gifted since I was about 5 and I practiced in secret in the basement of my house. It took a while to master the flying but eventually, two months after I was told I was to be married, I escaped in the middle of the night – flying, with nothing more than a haversack on my back and fifty dollars to my name."

Clint lets out a low whistle. "Did your father know?"

Emma closes her eyes. "I don't know. Maybe he did. I think he knew I was special – different. But he probably didn't expect a gifted in his family. I love him very much, but love isn't enough for me to condemn myself to that kind of polygamist lifestyle."

"So you ran away," states Clint matter-of-factly.

Emma says nothing but he takes her silence as consent.

"I guess it's something we both have in common, huh."

At his statement, Emma's eyes widen. "You were a runaway too?"

Clint smiles wryly. "Yep, I ran away from home and joined the circus. And a couple of years later, S.H.I.E.L.D found me and I never looked back since."

"Guess we all have our demons," murmurs Emma in resignation. She is pensive.

"Everyone at S.H.I.E.L.D pretty much has a bad past. Look, I'm not telling you this to make you wallow in self-pity some more. I just want to let you know that you're not alone, Emma."

It is silence for what seems like forever before she finally replies.

"Do you ever think about it?" asks Emma quietly, changing the subject. "About your real family, I mean. Do you ever wonder where they are now and what they're doing?"

Clint sighs and settles down on the floor next to her. "I used to."

"What happened?"

"S.H.I.E.L.D happened," says Clint with a smirk – as if there is an inside joke associated. "I got here, met a couple of people who made me feel more at home than my bastard of a family and ultimately, it changed my way of thinking. Long story short, S.H.I.E.L.D helped me realise that my family wasn't worth my time and I learned to get over it."

"I wish it was that easy for me," sighs Emma. "But I genuinely still care about my father and every night, I wonder if he's okay at all. I don't think I'd ever be able to forget him if I tried."

Clint takes her hand and gives it a friendly squeeze. "I'm not asking you to forget him. Hold him close to your heart but let go of all of the other pain and sorrow associated with the rest of your family and the FLDS. Just worry about the things and people who matter and forget the rest. It'll get better, trust me."

"I hope you're right," murmurs Emma.

Clint chuckles lightly and pats her hand softly.

"I always am," teases Clint. Then, he adds thoughtfully, "Besides, everyone around here is pretty cool."

"What? Like you?" scoffs Emma with a mock glare. "I think not."

Clint feigns hurt and covers his chest with his palms in exaggeration. "You wound me, woman."

Emma merely rolls her eyes but is unable to prevent an amused smile from appearing on her face.

In the short span of that morning, the dynamics of their relationship had changed. Instead of being complete strangers, Emma finds herself viewing Clint to be somewhat of a brotherly figure and she finds comfort in talking to him.

This must be what having an older brother who cares is like, thinks Emma.

It is a foreign feeling she is unused to. But it is nice.

"But seriously, Emma. You'll see what I'm talking about. The Avengers – even if we do all come from different backgrounds, we're all like this big family. Hell, even Fury has his fatherly moments too," assures Clint sincerely.

Emma chuckles. "I don't doubt that. I feel more welcomed here than I ever did with Hydra. It's a nice change."

"Good for you," says Clint, sincerity evident in his voice. Then, he glances at his watch and stands up.

He offers Emma one hand and quickly pulls her to her feet effortlessly. "Come on, let's head out for breakfast. I don't know about you but I'm famished."

She rolls her eyes but follows him out of the training room anyway. Her heart is lifted and she doubts that anything will ruin her joy at the moment.

Not even men and their food.

* * *

**Author's note: **

**Did anyone catch the latest episode of Agents of SHIELD?:D It was amazinggg and I couldn't help but quote a line or two from that episode! Anyone know which part of my story is a quote?;D **

**Anyway, I hope you liked the chapter! Thanks for reading, I really appreciate it :)**

**Till next time!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I own nothing from the Marvel Universe. The only characters I own are Emma, Nazli, Malik and Ezekiel. Also, if anything offends anyone in the story, please know that it is not intentional. This story is written for entertainment purposes only. If nothing else, I hope you enjoy the chapter!**

Chapter Seven

"What is this, Legolas?" asks Tony as he appears in the kitchen with a mock hurt look etched onto his face. "You're having a bonding session with foxy and I wasn't invited?"

Emma glances up at Tony and rolls her eyes. "Don't call me foxy."

Tony smirks but ignores her statement nonetheless. He walks over to the coffee machine and waits rather impatiently for it to fill with coffee, tapping his fingers incessantly against the kitchen table counter.

"Would you stop that?" demands Emma with a glare in his direction. Frankly, she is rather exhausted after her morning shooting session and talk with Clint so Tony's antics were grating on her nerves much more than usual.

"Nahhh…I like it. Besides, you look hot when you're angry," teases Tony with a wry smile.

If possible, Emma's face turns ten times redder and she looks ready to incinerate Tony right there and then.

However, given the circumstances, she settles for the next best thing. Knowing that Fury would have her head for killing Tony, Emma decides to disintegrate the cup of coffee in Tony's hands instead.

She focuses on the object and just as Tony is about to bring it to his lips, the cup disappears and the boiling brown liquid within splashes all over him.

"Fuck!" howls Tony in pain as he glances down at his brown stained shirt. "What the fuck just happened?"

Clint chortles in laughter before he turns to Emma for a hi-five. "Nice one, Em."

Scowling in both pain and annoyance, Tony glares daggers at the five foot two redhead as he attempts to alleviate his pain.

"First of all, why the hell did you that?"

Emma cocks her head to the side innocently with doe eyes. "Just be glad I missed your crotch, Stark. I wonder how it would have felt had the target been different."

"Y-you psychotic bitch," roars Tony in fury while pointing a trembling finger at Emma. "You depraved psychotic lunatic, I wonder why you aren't in the asylum."

His words do not have its intended effect on Emma and she merely shrugs her shoulders in indifference. Clint, on the other hand, stands up in front of Emma protectively.

"Watch it, Stark," warns Clint with a cautious arm held out towards Stark. "You were being a nuisance. And besides, count yourself lucky that Emma decided to play nice. She never misses."

"And since when did you and depraved lunatic over there – " motions Tony with a jerk of his head, " –get so chummy with each other? And must I remind you that she is the one who instigated the attack on moi?"

"Stark – "

"I could have lost my manhood, Barton!" rambles off Tony in defence. "It would have been a travesty!"

"For the love of all that's holy – "

"It would've killed Pepper! She could've been deprived of a piece of _moi_ forever! Can you imagine either of us remaining celibate?"

Emma groans exasperatedly and covers her face with both hands in horror. "Oh god, I do not need to hear about Stark's sex life and celibacy. It's bad enough that he's mentioning his penis but damn, my condolences to his girlfriend or whoever chose to get themselves acquainted with his dick."

Clint snorts and covers his mouth to hold back his chuckle. "Get used to it, Ems. That's Stark for you – all about drama and theatrics."

"I can tell," acquiesces Emma wryly.

Tony shoots her a dark glare – but any trace of real anger has vanished, and he looks more amused than anything. In fact, he looks rather smug than anything. "If you don't want to hear about my sex life, don't attempt to assassinate my sexy ass."

Emma coughs but is held back from retorting when Natasha, Bruce, Thor and Steve stride in donning casual clothes. It seems so out of character for them as Emma for the past few days, she has gotten used to seeing them in skin tight suits or lab coats.

"Nothing about you is sexy, Stark," deadpans Natasha as she makes her way to the fridge to pull out a bottle of mountain dew.

It seems that Natasha is voicing out what everyone, but Tony himself, is thinking as Emma looks around to find everyone but Tony and Natasha throwing their heads back in laughter.

Even Thor, who is unused to their slang, understands that Natasha just insulted Tony's masculinity. The culprit herself has a stoic look upon her face and she heads to the door to leave.

It eggs Tony on as he happily shoos Natasha away with his hand just as she leaves the exact same way she came. And the moment she is gone, his big mouth opens again.

"She's just jealous she can't get a piece of my ass," refutes Tony in a state of denial.

"Rightt," drawls Emma with a mischievous glint in her eyes. "And my name's Bella Swan."

"Bella Swan?" questions Steve and Thor in confusion. Bruce stifles his laughter while Clint mouths the words 'movie reference' to them in response.

"Shut up, foxy. For all we know, you might actually be her with your virginal ass and all," bites out Tony with a smug smirk sent her way.

He is sure it will embarrass her.

However, Tony is wrong.

Instead, Emma's expression completely becomes void of any emotion as she mutters, "Yeah sorry to disappoint but that ship sailed a long time ago, Stark."

Ignorant about Emma's change in mood, Tony's eyes widen. "Really? With those bat-shit crazy Nazis and all, I never thought you'd have time to lose your virginity."

Being the gentleman he was raised to be, Steve steps in front to stop Tony from speaking any more. "Okay, enough is enough, Stark. We're here to take down Hydra, not disrespect a dame."

"I agree with friend Steve, Man of Iron. Lady Emma seems most uncomfortable and I feel that it more apt for us to discuss matters of importance – like perhaps your progress with locating the enemy camp?" adds in Thor seriously.

He throws Emma a bright smile in reassurance and she can't help but think about how much Thor resembles a giant teddy bear at that moment.

Bruce gives Tony a serious look and both Steve and Thor's words finally sink into his head.

Tony looks over to the redhead and finally notices her hunched posture.

His gaze softens. He might be a jerk at times but he knows when to back down – especially since the pained expression on her face is one that resonates within him.

He doesn't push and instead, turns his attention over to Bruce.

"Brucey, why don't you let Capsicle know what locations we've narrowed everything down to?" asks Tony as he changes the topic.

Taking the cue, Bruce starts his explanation to Steve while Emma just sits there in silence, half listening.

The atmosphere is still awkward and tense, but Emma is ever grateful for the change.

* * *

Nick Fury hastily rushes into the control room to have a look at the emergency. Countless agents are furiously typing away on their keyboards in frenzy and his sight narrows in on the brunette at the main panel.

Rushing over, he asks, "What's the situation?"

"Yes okay, I'll let him know," says Maria Hill into her com before she swivels her chair around to face the Director. "It's not good, sir."

Standing up, Maria leads Fury over to a series of monitors and signals to the agent in front of them to show Fury the visuals they are getting live from intercepting FBI channels.

On the screen, Fury sees a group of unfamiliar teenagers carrying bags of objects – what they are, Fury can't tell. But that is not what alarms him.

What alarms him the most is the fact that any cop who attempted to stop them got blasted with a string bolts by one teenager. Fury watches as cop after cop falls to the floor convulsing. It is a horror.

"Another gifted," muses Fury. "What are they stealing, Hill?"

Maria Hill glances at him from the corner of her eye. "Diamonds, sir."

"Somehow, I highly doubt a bunch of teenagers would risk their lives for jewellery, especially if one of them is gifted. What do you think that boy can do?"

"Our sensors detected high levels of pure unadulterated energy coming out from him minutes ago, sir. So it seems like he is able to conduct and control electricity."

Fury does not reply and instead, watches on as the raid proceeds without anyone stopping them. Any cops within range are hiding behind their cars and steering clear of the three teenagers.

When the trio finally seem to have gathered all that they are looking for, a van seemingly appears out of nowhere and swerves to a stop in front of the store. Wasting no time at all, the kids jump into the back of the van after hauling their loot in and within seconds, they are gone.

"Wait, pause the tape here – " orders Fury as he narrows his eyes on the screen.

The agent in front of the monitors glances at him from his peripheral vision questioningly but does what he says all the same.

Maria nearly gasps at the symbol etched on the bottom of the van – it small and nearly unnoticeable. Well, to everyone but Fury it would seem. And that man only has one good eye.

"The Hydra Flame Division," murmurs Maria contemplatively.

"Like I suspected," says Fury. Then he turns to the agents within the vicinity and starts barking out orders at them. "I want all eyes and ears on these people. When they strike again, the Avengers will be ready."

"You're letting them go just like that, sir?" asks Maria warily. It is not like Fury to let Hydra run off without stopping them. She thought he would've at least sent the Avengers in.

The corners of his lips turn up slightly and he responds, "For now. That's only because they're leading us to where we want them to go, Hill."

Fury gestures to another monitor in front of them and Maria sees a blinking red dot on a map.

It is moving rapidly and realisation dawns upon her that Fury has somehow managed to get S.H.I.E.L.D agents to put a tracking device on the van. She gapes stupidly for a second before composing herself.

"I doubt they're going back to the Hydra facility yet cause I bet they still have a helluva lot more things left to steal on their itinerary. But it is one step closer to getting what we want," says Fury as he makes his way towards the door, striding slowly.

Maria follows behind him.

"What if they abandon the van?" she asks.

Fury smirks and clasps his hands behind his back, walking slowly down the hall. "Well then, Hill. That's why we're sending the team in before they can do that."

"The Avengers are a ticking time bomb ready to explode, Fury – even more so with the addition of Emma Mayer! I don't think it's wise to make them work together now when they're all clearly still on tenterhooks with her."

"Well, then there's no time like the present to learn then, isn't it?"

* * *

"For a place supposedly housing a bunch of Hydra recruits, it sure looks normal," comments Tony through his com device as he hovers over the picket fenced house in his ironman suit.

"Well, we can't all be rich billionaires with big flashy signs pointing out our locations, can we?" retorts Emma with a roll of her eyes as she lands on the roof with Natasha following behind on a grappling hook.

They both land quietly and give a thumbs-up to Clint – who is piloting the Quinjet above.

He chuckles and then turns on the cloaking device, staying out of plain sight. Bruce is with him only for backup whereas Steve and Thor are currently at the front door of the house.

"I take offense to that, gingerhead," drawls Tony.

"You might want to rethink that statement, Stark," deadpans Natasha threateningly.

"Right, you're a redhead too. I never did ask but is your hair colour natural?" wonders Tony aloud.

"Stark! Focus!" hisses Steve as he and Thor walk towards open the door.

"My bad," apologises Tony unapologetically. "But you're all clear. There's no one near the vicinity which means that they're most likely inside."

"We're going in then," says Steve as he knocks on the door in three short raps.

Emma touches the roof and closes her eyes in concentration. Soon, the permeability of it is increased and Natasha marvels at how the ground beneath them gives way to a transparent see through platform. She can see clearly all the rooms in the house and she wonders if it is like a one way glass panel.

"We can see everything now, but they can't see us," explains Emma as she crouches down to scour the house for any signs of life.

The corner of Natasha's lips quirk upwards but otherwise, she does not say anything and continues on observing.

The wooden door opens and a blonde guy steps out warily. "Can I help you?"

Steve and Thor are both dressed casually in plain shirts and jeans to avoid suspicion and are holding tool boxes in their hands each. Of course, Steve still has his shield strapped onto his back while Thor has Mjornir hanging by his back pocket.

"Yes actually, we're with the sewage and piping company and it has come to our attention that there's been a toxic leakage around this neighbourhood. May we come in to inspect the house?" asks Steve politely.

The blonde man eyes them up and down warily, not saying a word.

"Just a routine check, sir," assures Steve with a small smile.

"Can I see some ID then?"

Luckily, Steve and Thor are prepared by S.H.I.E.L.D and they both lift up their fake IDs to show the man.

He scrutinises it like a hawk.

"Donald Blake and – " reads out the man as he looks at Thor before he turns to Steve. " – Ben Stoner?"

"That's us," assures Steve with a false smile.

"Okay, this way then," acquiesces the blonde as he steps aside to let them in.

Emma watches as the blonde Steve and Thor were talking to comes into view and she takes a sharp breath.

"You alright?" asks Natasha quietly.

"Yes," answers Emma before she gestures to the blonde figure in the house beneath the roof. "That blonde Steve and Thor were just talking to, I know him."

"Who is he then, foxy?" asks Tony through his com.

"That's Byron Fieldwood. He's the gifted who can manipulate electricity!" says Emma before her gaze turns worried.

She holds a finger to her earpiece and calls, "Steve, Thor, be careful around him. If he's here then the others are bound to be around."

"Roger that," murmurs Steve quietly.

"What was that?" asks Byron suspiciously as he turns to look at the two muscular men behind him.

Startled, Steve scrambles for an excuse.

"Oh I was just telling Donald that your pipe leakage seems to be coming from over there!" lies Steve as he points a finger over to the kitchen pipes.

Thor nods his head in agreement. "Yes, we must have a look at this leakage of the pipes."

"Really? It looks fine to me but have a look if you want," says Byron as his head follows their every movement warily.

"Man, big guy and Capsicle have got to be the worst liars I've ever met, no offense point break," comments Tony in exasperation.

"You have a better plan, Stark? Your suit would malfunction the moment Byron sends a bolt at you," retorts Emma in annoyance, not taking her eyes off the trio in the house.

She notices two unfamiliar teenagers emerging from the stairs and walking towards Byron, Thor and Steve and she is immediately on high alert.

At the same time, Natasha sees what Emma is seeing and speaks into her com to warn Steve and Thor. "Cap, looks like there's two more teens closing in on you. Be careful."

Instantly, the two of them stiffen slightly. They turn their heads towards the resounding footsteps and are met with the sight of a brunette girl – at most eighteen years of age, and another blonde boy – probably in his teens as well.

"Byron, who are these people?" asks the girl as she eyes Steve and Thor up and down flirtatiously. It makes Steve uncomfortable but he tries to remain composed.

"Some pipe workers or something. They said there's some leakage around this neighbourhood so they're for some routine checks," replies Byron offhandedly, not taking his eyes off Steve and Thor – who are currently taking apart the pipes without having an actual clue as to what they are doing.

"Ma'am, sir," greets Steve as he looks up with a polite smile before returning to his work.

"Such gentlemen," purrs the brunette.

The other blonde narrows his eyes and walks next to Byron.

"They seem shabby to me," he hisses to Byron.

"Yeah but they showed me their IDs."

"Dude, there's such a thing called fake IDs," curses the blonde as he roughly shoves him to the side before turning his attention back to Steve and Thor. "You're done here fellas, get out. Now."

"We don't want any trouble," says Steve as he holds both hands up in surrender. His eyes flicker over to Thor's for a second and Thor follows what Steve does – backing way slowly.

The blonde's eyes flash dangerously as he whips out a gun from his back pocket. "Get out."

"Cap, they're the only chance we have of infiltrating Hydra. You can't leave yet," says Clint through Steve's earpiece.

Sighing, he decides to throw all caution to the wind. "Right, we're neutralising the threat then."

Without further ado, Thor and Steve charge towards the three Hydra recruits and start fighting them.

Thor dives right in for Byron and it becomes a battle of thunder against lightning. Byron sends bolt after bolt of electricity at Thor to which he repels which the swing of his hammer.

Thor heads straight for Byron and swings his hammer towards him. It lands on its intended target and sends Byron flying to the wall.

"Thor! Don't kill him, he's not himself!" says Emma in horror before she scrambles to stand up on the roof.

"Where are you going?" questions Natasha.

"To help Steve! I don't know who the other two teenagers are but I highly doubt Steve can take down two gifted individuals," replies Emma in a rush before her form starts to sink into the roof of the house.

Natasha watches as Emma disappears right before her eyes and appearing in the kitchen alongside Steve.

Steve ducks as the blonde tries to land a punch on his face and he uses his shield to push him away. Without a minute to catch his breath, Steve finds himself attempting to doge the swift jabs the brunette is currently aiming at him.

She might have been flirting with him at the start but boy, she is lethal now. The brunette is merciless and agile as she finally manages to scratch Steve in the leg with her dagger.

It causes him to fall to the ground but he quickly throws his shield to delay any further attacks upon him. And just as he is sure he is done for, the girl is swept to the side by a huge force.

Steve looks up and is eternally grateful to see Emma's face. She offers him a hand and pulls him up.

"Two against one, it hardly seems like a fair fight. You alright, cap?" asks Emma, concerned.

"Yeah, all good, but what do they feed these kids at Hydra?" mutters Steve as he stands up, dishevelled. His eyes flicker over to the unconscious forms on the floor.

Emma smiles wryly and walks over to the now unconscious brunette and lifts the girl's arm to look. Just as she suspected, a large centipede like device is etched onto her skin.

Steve does the same to the other unconscious blonde and is met with the sight of the same device.

"What is that?" he asks.

"It's something like the super soldier serum they used on you. Only, it's temporary for them," says Emma as she turns to look at Steve.

Thor appears in their view, dragging a beat up Byron behind him and then throwing him onto the floor alongside his unconscious teammates.

"Byron," murmurs Emma.

He glances up at the redhead through tired hooded eyes and smirks. "I never thought I'd see you again, Amaris."

"Where's Hydra's facility, Byron? Where's Ezekiel?" asks Emma seriously as she crouches down in front of him.

Byron's face morphs into a huge scowl. "Like I'd tell you anything, traitor."

"Please, Ron. This isn't you, Hydra brainwashed you. Fight it and help us," pleads Emma.

Byron spits out spatters of blood into her face. "Fuck off."

Enraged, Thor lifts Byron up and slams him into the wall painfully. "You do not speak to a lady like that."

Even though he is wincing in pain, his glare is still hateful.

"She is anything but a lady. And I will never ever help you. My loyalties are with Hydra."

"Jeez, who is this guy? An ex-boyfriend?" comments Tony through Emma's com.

"Something like that," she says dryly before walking over towards Byron.

She takes over from Thor. Using her gift to lighten his mass, Emma then slams Byron's head hard against the wall, knocking him out completely. As such, his body slumps to the ground, unconscious.

"Nice job, foxy. Now you just knocked our only suspect unconscious," congratulates Tony sarcastically.

"This time I agree with Stark. Why'd you do that, Em?" asks Steve stoically as he glances at her.

Emma rolls her eyes and shrugs. "He was annoying me. Besides, there's something called cognitive rehabilitation. It's a theory I have so hopefully by the time he wakes up at S.H.I.E.L.D HQ, he's himself again."

As soon as Emma's words escape her mouth, Steve's eyes widen in realisation at the familiar term. He recalls the time when Natasha did the exact same thing to get Barton back and can't help but nod his head in approval.

"Alright then, but how can you be sure that he is indeed under mind control and not acting out of his own free will?" asks Steve, slightly apprehensive.

Sighing quietly, Emma murmurs, "Byron was my teammate back then, Steve. And unfortunately, I happened to witness them brainwashing him. You'll learn that almost every gifted kid there is under their mind control."

Sensing her need to drop the topic, Steve starts to give orders to the rest of the Avengers to help bring the Hydra kids to S.H.I.E.L.D and to round up all the stolen goods along with any other useful items they could salvage.

By the end of the mission, the Avengers have gathered almost fourteen million dollars' worth of diamonds and technology as well as the laptops the trio have been using to communicate with their superiors.

Bruce administers heavy doses of tranquilisers to the three Hydra recruits to ensure that they do not awaken whilst Tony happily begins to slap on power inhibitors and cuffs on them.

When that is done, the two of them join rest of the Avengers near the front of the Quinjet.

There is a heavy silence in the room amongst the Avengers from both tiredness and discomfort, but of course, it is Tony who speaks up first as always.

"So Emma, you told Steve that almost every gifted under Hydra was under their mind control. I'm curious to know how you escaped their mind control!" muses Tony curiously.

Everyone's interest is piqued and they glance at Emma in unison.

She glares at Tony before muttering incoherently.

"What was that?"

Exasperated, she rolls her eyes.

"I wasn't under mind control."

"Wait what, did they threaten your family then?" asks Tony as he throws in other plausible explanations. "Did they monitor your every movement?

But quickly, he is shut up by the hard look upon Emma's face.

A realisation dawns upon him but Emma speaks up before he can utter the very words that are going through his mind at the moment.

"I joined Hydra willingly."

* * *

**Author's note: Hey guys thanks for reading :) Hope you enjoyed this chapter.**

**You don't have to but I'd really appreciate it if you guys could leave a review just to let me know how you find the story! **

**Till next time!**


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